Robot basketball – a new challenge for real-time control

Most of the industrial robots nowadays still employ strategies that neglect or minimize the effects of task dynamics. This simplifies task planning and reduces the required sensor capacities. In order to gain maximum performance with such an approach, these robotic systems are typically highly specialized and offer little flexibility. The potential areas of application for robots, however, gradually extend beyond the classical industrial settings in large scale enterprises. The envisioned range of use includes small-scale enterprises and households. This trend requires the development of efficient and flexible systems with advanced cognitive capabilities, such as perception, action, learning, or planning. The main research direction of the robotic basketball project is the development of advanced sensory and motor skills for robotic manipulators.