Robotic arms have been around for decades, putting together cars, deploying satellites, and trying to figure out how to kill all humans without anybody noticing. Behind the scenes, however, these disembodied robo-limbs have been growing more and more advanced. From 3D printing to prosthetics, a new generation of precise robot arms have been sweeping into use.
One company that has been designing industrial robot limbs since the mid-1970s has thrown down a hefty gauntlet to other robot manufacturers world-wide, and the human race as well. On March 11th, German robotics firm Kuka will pit its KR Agilus robot arm against table tennis phenom Timo Boll. Also from Germany, Boll has been a national and international champion for over a decade. If the robot arm can beat him, Boll just might become the poster-boy for our human inadequacies as we head into the robot-populated future.
The event will take place to commemorate the grand opening of a new 20,000 square-foot robotics plant in Shanghai. The plant, not so coincidentally, will be building more of the KR Agilus arms. While they're not exactly the tech we've seen in the Terminator movies, they're just as strong a sign that the age of robots is coming, and human kind may not be prepared. Whatever the result, we hope Boll at least puts up a good fight against the robot's paddle-wielding onslaught. VIDEO
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