Tennibot is a Roomba for the tennis court, grabbing balls so you don’t have to

Convinced you’re the next Serena Williams or Roger Federer? Believe all that’s stopping you winning Wimbledon is the time you waste traipsing about the court, picking up balls, when you could be getting in a few extra serves? Then you need Tennibot (from $675). Like a giant Roomba with a bucket on its head, Tennibot trundles about the court, grabbing abandoned balls. These are found using a combination of a fisheye camera system and cunning algorithms. A 90-minute charge enables Tennibot to relentlessly perform its task for up to five hours; and when you’re done playing, you can just grab its handle, wheel the doddering robot to your car, and chuck it in the boot. Try doing that with a real ball boy! (On second thoughts, probably don’t.)

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.