This Table-Tennis Robot Makes Friends Completely Unnecessary

First step to Skynet? Maybe. It’s not exactly capable of holding you hostage or causing any real harm, but it could give you a serious challenge at one of the most fun table-top sports out there.

The Butterfly Prime Amicus ($2,200) is controlled by an app that comes with 20 pre-loaded drills, and was created by former international table tennis player Richard Prause.

It can fling out 120 balls per minute and adapt the speed, spin, and trajectory to give the user a challenging ping-pong gauntlet to navigate. You can string several of the drills together, or through its ‘cluster memory’ setting, randomise them to give yourself a serious workout.

Want to get to your best table tennis form, but don’t want any annoying banter to go along with it? The Butterfly Amicus Prime can help you out!