Sony Revolutionizes Table Tennis with Ace, Its Unbeatable AI Robot
Le brief IA que les pros lisent chaque soir
Les 7 actus IA du jour, décryptées en 5 min. Gratuit.
Inclus dès l'inscription : notre sélection des meilleurs guides & comparatifs IA.
Choisis ton rythme
Gratuit · Pas de spam · Désabonnement en 1 clic
Ace: Sony's Table Tennis Robot That Challenges Champions
Sony recently unveiled Ace, an AI-powered table tennis robot capable of competing with the best human players. This robot stands out due to its advanced vision and movement system, utilizing 12 cameras to analyze and react in real-time to the ball's movements.
An Unprecedented Technological Feat
Ace is the first robot that can defeat human players while adhering to the official rules of table tennis. Unlike other robots such as Omron's FORPHEUS, which showcased its skills at CES 2017 against amateurs, Ace was designed by Sony's AI division to take on high-level players, sometimes even surpassing them.
Impressive Physical Capabilities
The challenge for researchers was to create a robot capable of matching human speed and responsiveness. To achieve this, Ace is equipped with eight joints: two for the racket's position, two for its orientation, and three to deliver powerful shots. This system is complemented by nine traditional cameras that track the ball in 3D, and three gaze control systems to measure its angular speed and spin.
Promising Results
According to a study published in the journal Nature, Ace participated in test matches in April 2025, winning three out of five matches against elite players with over 10 years of training. However, Ace lost two matches against professional players who regularly compete in professional leagues. In December 2025, Ace also defeated professional players, and last month, according to Reuters, it continued to demonstrate its superiority by winning additional matches against professionals.
These advancements show that AI can now tackle complex physical games, paving the way for new applications in sports and beyond.
Brief IA — L'actualité IA en français
L'essentiel de l'actualité de l'intelligence artificielle, décrypté et expliqué chaque jour.