Japanese Volleyball Association Unveils Volleyball Robot

Posted on April 16, 2017

Researchers from the Japanese Volleyball Association and the University of Tsukuba have developed a volleyball robot. The robot is called a block machine. It features multiple defenders with their arms up that attempt to block the ball.

New Scientist reports that a coach can program the robot arms for different types of training exercises. The robot can also be programmed to mimic the playing styles of upcoming opponents.

The block machine contains three sets of defenders with arms that reach up as high as a jumping human. The arms can be moved across the court as fast as volleyball pros. New Scientist reports that Japan's women's volleyball team tried out the block machine during training sessions and liked the experience. Take a look:



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