Robot Catcher Grabs High Speed Projectiles

by Will Knight NewScientist.com, 4 Aug 2005 If robots are to inherit the Earth, then they should at least be able to catch. So say the researchers behind a bot that can match the most skilled human baseball player faced with a hurtling ball. The robotic catcher, developed by scientists at the University of Tokyo, can comfortably grab a ball careering through the air at 300 kilometres per hour, or 83 metres per second, its creators say. And, of course, the robot never gets tired of doing so. Read more