AI-powered robot sinks seemingly impossible basketball hoops

While you were busy watching your favorite NBA stars sink three-pointers, a robot was quietly perfecting its game-winning shot in Nagakute, Japan. 

That’s right, a humanoid robot named CUE6 just stepped onto the court and made jaws drop faster than a Steph Curry buzzer-beater. 

CUE6, Toyota’s basketball-playing robot, claimed a Guinness World Record for the longest shot by a humanoid robot, proving that AI can play basketball with the best of them.

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The journey of CUE

The story of CUE began in 2017 as a passion project for a small group of Toyota engineers. Inspired by the challenge of replicating human-like precision in physical tasks, the team embarked on a journey to build a basketball-playing robot. Early prototypes were rudimentary, cobbled together from LEGO components. Yet, each iteration brought new advancements, transforming CUE from a simple mechanical shooter into a sophisticated humanoid robot.

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By 2019, CUE’s third generation broke its first Guinness World Record, achieving 2,020 consecutive basketball free throws. This milestone showcased the robot’s ability to adapt and learn, using artificial intelligence to analyze and refine its shooting mechanics. Later versions introduced groundbreaking features, such as autonomous movement, ball handling, and even dribbling—a skill that required the robot to adjust to the subtle variations of each bounce.

Early prototypes using LEGO components (Toyota)

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Setting the latest record

CUE6’s latest achievement was no small feat. The robot’s AI had to account for multiple variables: the ball’s weight, the trajectory, and even the atmospheric conditions of the court. Despite missing its first attempt, CUE6 recalibrated and succeeded on its second shot, showcasing its capacity for real-time learning and adaptation.

The project leader, Tomohiro Nomi, expressed pride in the accomplishment, emphasizing that the robot’s AI was designed to develop its own optimal throwing style. “We wanted to surprise the world and demonstrate the power of craftsmanship and technology,” he said.

Toyota’s basketball-playing robot (Guinness World Record)

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Beyond the basketball court

CUE’s journey isn’t just about sinking hoops. It represents a broader exploration into how robots can mimic human behaviors and adapt to dynamic environments. While a basketball-playing robot might seem like a novelty, the underlying technology has far-reaching implications. From industrial automation to healthcare, the principles of adaptive AI and robotics developed through projects like CUE could revolutionize countless fields.

Toyota’s ultimate goal is ambitious: to create a humanoid robot that can dunk like Michael Jordan. While that day might be years away, the progress made by the CUE project serves as an inspiring example of what’s possible when human ingenuity and cutting-edge technology converge.

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Toyota engineers perfecting humanoid robot (Toyota)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

The journey from a LEGO prototype to a world-record-holding humanoid robot is nothing short of amazing. CUE6’s story is a great reminder of what can be achieved with a bit of innovation and a lot of perseverance. Whether it’s on the basketball court or in other arenas, CUE6’s record-breaking shot stands as a testament to the power of dreaming big and pushing boundaries.

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