Robot Impressively Controls Makeshift Toy Train Track

Christian Schürch recently created this quite mesmeric application in Lucerne, Switzerland – a robot that controls a makeshift train track.

Christian explained the dynamic behind this project:

“The gripper stops over the train to detect its current position. It does that with a reed switch on the gripper, which closes when too close to the magnet attached to the train. Basically the robot moves along a circular path while continuously waiting for the switch to close.’

‘When that happens it interrupts its current movement (skip function) to evaluate it’s current position and set the speed for its next movement. Maybe you could do that without stopping somehow, but since I don’t really know what I’m doing, I’m already surprised that I got this far. I don’t have any other sensors, so I rely on the tracks to stay at the place I want them to be." Credit: Christian Schürch via Storyful