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arXiv · 2506.06690

SpikePingpong: Spike Vision-based Fast-Slow Pingpong Robot System

Hao Wang·Chengkai Hou·Xianglong Li·Yankai Fu·Chenxuan Li·Ning Chen·Gaole Dai·Jiaming Liu·Tiejun Huang·Shanghang Zhang
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Abstract

Learning to control high-speed objects in dynamic environments represents a fundamental challenge in robotics. Table tennis serves as an ideal testbed for advancing robotic capabilities in dynamic environments. This task presents two fundamental challenges: it requires a high-precision vision system capable of accurately predicting ball trajectories under complex dynamics, and it necessitates intelligent control strategies to ensure precise ball striking to target regions. High-speed object manipulation typically demands advanced visual perception hardware capable of capturing rapid motion with exceptional temporal resolution. Drawing inspiration from Kahneman's dual-system theory, where fast intuitive processing complements slower deliberate reasoning, there exists an opportunity to develop more robust perception architectures that can handle high-speed dynamics while maintaining accuracy. To this end, we present \textit{\textbf{SpikePingpong}}, a novel system that integrates spike-based vision with imitation learning for high-precision robotic table tennis. We develop a Fast-Slow system architecture where System 1 provides rapid ball detection and preliminary trajectory prediction with millisecond-level responses, while System 2 employs spike-oriented neural calibration for precise hittable position corrections. For strategic ball striking, we introduce Imitation-based Motion Planning And Control Technology, which learns optimal robotic arm striking policies through demonstration-based learning. Experimental results demonstrate that \textit{\textbf{SpikePingpong}} achieves a remarkable 92\% success rate for 30 cm accuracy zones and 70\% in the more challenging 20 cm precision targeting. This work demonstrates the potential of Fast-Slow architectures for advancing robotic capabilities in time-critical manipulation tasks.

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Hao Wang, Chengkai Hou, Xianglong Li, Yankai Fu, Chenxuan Li, Ning Chen, Gaole Dai, Jiaming Liu, Tiejun Huang, Shanghang Zhang. 2025-06-07. SpikePingpong: Spike Vision-based Fast-Slow Pingpong Robot System. https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.06690

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