High speed vision sensor and quick robotic hand enable a robot to catch a ball

Professor Masatoshi Ishikawa of the University of Tokyo, Japan, has developed a super fast vision sensor and a super quick hand (gripper), and integrated them in an impressive demonstration system in which the vision sensor recognizes a free falling ball and the hand catches it in the air. The secret lies in a super fast vision chip and visual servo technology developed along with the chip. A lot of new applications for this new technology in future robotics are expected.