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Predictive vs Reactive Robot Paddle (2D)

Top-down 2D companion to the 3D ping-pong interception lab: a reactive paddle chases the ball's delayed current position while a predictive paddle forward-solves the drop-plus-curve trajectory the instant the ball launches and drives straight to the forecast intercept point. Tune speed and spin and watch the hit-rate gap grow.

Robotics & Kinematics2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

The 3D version shows two robot arms swinging at a ball in a full table-tennis scene; this 2D companion strips that down to the number that actually decides the outcome — the transverse offset each paddle needs to reach by the time the ball crosses the paddle plane. Launch a ball and watch the reactive paddle (top lane) always trail a beat behind the curve while the predictive paddle (bottom lane) solves for the intercept the instant the ball leaves and gets there early. Push speed and spin up and the gap between the two hit-rate counters widens.

⚙ Under the hood

A 2D companion to the 3D predictive vs. reactive paddle lab: each lane reduces the ball's flight to distance-vs-transverse-offset, driven by a constant "gravity + Magnus" acceleration; the reactive paddle chases a delayed sample of that offset while the predictive paddle forward-solves the offset at the paddle plane the instant the ball launches.

predictive controlreactive controlintercept pointmagnus effecttrajectory forecastingrobot arm control

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install