(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)
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BERLIN—The Acemate Tennis Robot is set up on one half of a mini court at the IFA tech showcase here. I enter the small playing space and gently lob shots back and forth with the robot. Given that I’m a complete novice, I'm relieved that the machine takes it easy on me. If we were on a full-size court, I’m pretty sure it could have crushed me.
Developed by SwitchBot, a brand known for robot vacuums and smart home accessories, the Acemate Tennis Robot goes above and beyond the capabilities of traditional, static ball-tossing machines thanks to its dynamic AI and wheels. It doesn’t just toss you simple lobs; it can actually volley with you.
The squat, rectangular robot has a reservoir for tennis balls on top, a slot that shoots them on the front, and wheels in each corner on the bottom. The robot uses a camera and AI to watch your shots and move accordingly so that they land in its net. Then it returns the next one in its reservoir within milliseconds, effectively acting as an opponent.
I saw demo videos of it in action on a full-size court, and it seems able to put some speed and even spin on the ball for added challenge. You can use a companion mobile app to adjust the difficulty level of its return shots, and it can tailor its placement of the ball accordingly. You can also have it send the ball to random locations or a fixed point. And the company says it can deliver shots traveling at a speed of up to 70 miles per hour.
Aside from acting the part of a challenger, it also doubles as a coach. As it tracks your shots to catch them, it also records the spin, speed, and location of your returns. You can see all of that information charted in the app, along with recommendations to help, so you can make any necessary corrections to your form.
The hopper holds up to 80 balls, and the 6,700mAh battery lasts for up to three hours of play. If that's not long enough, you can swap in a fresh battery to keep playing. The company will also offer a version tailored to pickleball.
Because it can be a volleying opponent and a coach, the Acemate Tennis Robot should be a fun and useful gadget for anyone looking for a bit of active practice before playing their next human opponent. It’s available for preorder now. At launch, it’ll cost $2,499, but the preorder discount puts it at $1,599.
We’ve seen a lot of cool tech at IFA, including a robot vacuum accessory that can climb stairs. Check it all out here.