Shotoku Broadcast Systems has unveiled its new Swoop robotic crane line at IBC2025, designed to replace manually operated cranes and jibs in studio environments. The launch represents a significant advancement in studio robotics, offering broadcasters enhanced creative possibilities and operational flexibility while integrating seamlessly with existing robotic camera systems.
What you should know: The Swoop line launches with two models featuring different boom arm reaches and base options to match various production needs.
- Swoop 140 offers a 140 cm (4’7″) boom arm reach, while Swoop 220 extends to 220 cm (7’3″).
- Both versions can be configured with either a SmartPed robotic base (Swoop SP) for complete studio floor movement or a manual base for cost-effective repositioning between shots.
- The cranes integrate with Shotoku’s TR-XT advanced control system and use a specially configured TG-47 robotic pan/tilt head.
Why this matters: Traditional manually operated cranes require one or two dedicated operators and cannot integrate tightly with robotic camera systems, limiting creative possibilities and operational efficiency.
- Swoop enables production directors to create and precisely repeat sweeping shots with confidence while expanding available camera angles beyond what advanced robotic pedestals can achieve.
- The system addresses the growing demand for automated studio solutions that reduce personnel requirements while maintaining creative control.
Safety features: Shotoku designed the system with comprehensive safety measures to prevent accidents in busy studio environments.
- Multiple intelligent proximity detectors create a dynamic protective “bubble” along the arm’s length and around the payload.
- The system automatically detects obstacles, stops movement, and prevents collisions.
- A single button switches Swoop into Local mode for repositioning, with an available safety locking bar to secure the arm when needed.
What they’re saying: “Swoop represents a major step forward in studio robotics combining creativity, control, and safety in one elegantly engineered system,” explained James Eddershaw, managing director at Shotoku Broadcast Systems.
- “The crane enables broadcasters to reach new heights and, dare I say it, new lows by expanding creative possibilities while enhancing operational flexibility.”
Technical integration: The TR-XT control system provides comprehensive crane management within existing studio workflows.
- StudioView display shows Swoop’s location relative to other cameras for coordinated operations.
- The SoftRail system allows Swoop SP models to follow tightly defined paths, ensuring precise and consistent floor movement.
- Integration capabilities enable the crane to function as part of a complete robotic camera ecosystem rather than as a standalone tool.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...