Jackie Shoots, Jackie Scores!

Jackie may be the first name of the greatest comedic martial artist/actor ever, but it is now also the name of the best basketball-playing robot too.

Meet Jackie, by day he is an articulated robot palletizer manufactured by Columbia Okura in Vancouver, but by night he becomes a kick-ass, hoop throwing superhero. The robot is a member of the Beck’s Hybrid team, (specialists in hybrid crops), and was recently on display during their “Becknology Days” event. Jackie is usually used to collect skids of corn, but Bob Stuart an on site engineer, managed to tinker with the mechanized star. He loaded up a program that allowed Jackiel O’Neil, (sorry), to shoot baskets like a pro. In fact, he is even better than a pro—Jackie has not missed a shot to date!

The robot itself is fairly small but it is set atop a loading crane. The engineer attached the arms to the budding NBA hopeful’s sides and added circular discs acting as an alternative to hands. A ball is retrieved from a tube that is attached and then fired towards the 7-foot basket by means of a catapult motion. Jackie completes one successful shot every five seconds.

Big things are in store for this OP wannabe, next year Stuart says, “[sic] We’re going to try and see if we can get it (the robot) to continually shoot basketballs or maybe we’ll even play catch.” Even play catch! We cannot wait.[Indystar].