Pallet Stacking Robot Shoots Perfect Free Throws
Writing by Conner Flynn on Tuesday, 28 of August , 2007 at 2:58 am
Jackie shoots perfect free throws and does not miss a single basket. He has no NBA ambitions however, he is busy enough loading skids full of seed and corn at Beck’s Hybrids.
At Beck’s annual Becknology Days, he wowed crowds with his hoops skills.
The Atlanta plant is home to two robot palletizers made by Columbia Okura in Vancouver, Washington. Jackie is the only one that shoots free throws.
So, how does a pallette stacking robot become a basketball star? In just one day, an engineer at Beck’s wrote a program that gave Jackie his gift. He was even given arms with round hands.
A basketball sits at the end of a black tube. Every 5 seconds the arms grab one, then the robot moves the ball into shooting position, before being catapulted by a release plate and shot toward the 7-foot-tall basket. All the while, the Harlem Globetrotters theme song plays.
Next year they want to make him continually shoot the balls or play catch. Jackie may want to get an agent.
Comments (2)
Category: Industrial
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Comment by John & Laura
Made Wednesday, 29 of August , 2007 at 3:16 pm
Imagine teams of these robots playing basketball with each other!
A new league would form – NRBA (National Robotic Basketball Association) & we’d all be glued to the tv watching this new version of the sport!
Comment by Conner Flynn
Made Thursday, 30 of August , 2007 at 9:52 pm
Now THAT would be a sport to see. :)