Ad of the Day: Man Battles Machine in World's Most Important Game of Ping-Pong

KUKA's nimble robotics

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It's a question mankind has been asking ever since we've struggled to understand our place in the universe: Can a human beat a robot at Ping-Pong?

Robotics manufacturer KUKA decided to find out by pitting one of its most advanced devices against German table-tennis legend Timo Boll, one of the world's top 10 players.

The resulting short film, while clearly not a documentary and likely staged every step of the way for dramatic effect, is an enjoyably cinematic piece of marketing for the company's new production facility, opening this week in Shanghai.

Director Matthias Zentner says the video was shot in an abandoned athletics venue in Sofia, Bulgaria.

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