This impressive piece of machinery is called–get this–“Automated Manipulation of Spherical Objects in Three Dimensions Using a Gimbaled Air Jet.”  Yeah, I’m going to call it Air Jet for short.  Hope it doesn’t mind.

Anyway, isn’t it insanely cool?  It was developed at the University of Illinois by Aaron Becker, Robert Sandheinrich, and professor Timothy Bretl.  Gizmodo points out that “the air-stream can lift any spherical and non-spherical object up to 188 grams and 97mm in radius.”  As you can see in the video, this means it can lift anything from a lightweight ping pong ball to a apple.  It even peels onions!  According to the students’ research report, this machine does have practical use; it can be used to sort small objects or handle delicate ones.

I think I just found my lifetime beer pong partner.

[Via Gizmodo]