This Robot Can Catch!

A bionic arm was recently developed that has the unique ability to catch moving objects of various shapes and sizes in less than five hundredths of a second. It’s one of several projects underway at the Swiss Space Center, whose goal is to develop technologies for recovering and disposing of the ever-increasing amount of space debris orbiting the earth. In addition to space applications, there will be many new commercial applications for this back on Earth including warehouse management automation, supply chain management and logistics to mention a few.

It may sound simple, but creating a machine that can predict the dynamics of a moving object and generate an appropriate reaction on the spot requires a complex set of commands. Unlike most robots, which are precisely programmed to perform specific functions, the robot arm needed to be “taught” in a way that allows it to adapt to a range of situations. So the researchers used time-tested human techniques of imitation, trial and error, and repetition.

In the first phase of learning, the robot used a series of cameras to generate equations that describe the trajectory, speed, and rotation of various objects – including a ball, a bottle, a hammer and a tennis racket. These equations enable it to quickly position itself whenever an item is thrown in its direction, even when its movement involves several axes. As a result, the device is capable of high-precision capture with a response time of a few milliseconds.