Pongbot Aura AI training robot helps tennis, padel, and pickleball players improve with adaptive training sessions

Pongbot has opened its Kickstarter campaign for the Aura multi-sport training robots, which can provide individual training sessions and coaching for tennis, padel, and pickleball players. The Pongbot Aura robot has a Super Early Bird price as low as $499, while the Aura S robot has a price as low as $699.

Both models weigh around 7 kg (15 lbs.) and measure 457 x 376 x 430 mm (18.0 x 14.8 x 16.9 in.) for convenient transportation to the courts. Pongbot says they hold 100 pickleballs or 120 tennis/padel balls and can launch balls for up to 5 hours thanks to a 4500 mAh rechargeable battery.

The training robots come with a vast library of training drills, which can be controlled from a smartwatch. Backhand drives, slices, and more can be drilled at the user's convenience, without the need to pay for a coach.

The Aura S adds a dual-camera Spotter module that allows the robot to analyze your returns, then provide customized feedback. The Spotter module can also be detached and mounted near the net to act as an AI referee and scorekeeper while live streaming matches.

An upcoming Mobile Base can be docked under the Aura S to allow the robot to move across the court, enabling more realistic practice returning short balls. The machine currently does not retrieve returned balls left on the court.