Toyota has a crazy new robot basketball player.
The Japanese automotive giant debuted the robot named CUE7 during halftime for an April 12 Alvark Tokyo game. It’s the result of almost a decade of research and development that started in 2017.
The original version was a simple stationary robot that could sink shots with free throws. The real accuracy and consistency came in later revisions.
By 2019, the third-generation version, the CUE3, entered the Guiness World Records after sinking 2,020 shots consecutively. Then, in 2024, the CUE6 earned the title for farthest basketball longshot by a robot at 24.5 meters (80 feet 6 inches).
The most advanced iteration yet sunk a shot at the free throw line during its public introduction.
It’s not exactly playing fair. The CUE7 measures the distance and angle to the hoop with its cameras. Its artificial intelligence then calculates the exact arc and force needed for the shot and converts it into commands sent to the robot’s motors. Its specialized end effectors guide the ball and release it with consistent spin. The system measure and executes with machine-level accuracy every time.
Its arms are engineered for highly repeatable motions that are very specific to basketball. The robot’s wheeled-hybrid base is similar to Hexagon’s AEON, giving it superior balance and stability to avoid the variability of footwork.
Toyota says it’s using the CUE series as a testing platform for next-gen applications like smart manufacturing and assistive humanoids.