An algorithm that shapes objects to cause them to roll down ramps following a desired path

and play music from Super Monkey Ball in the background

It might have none, or it might turn out to have some unexpected application way down the line.

The fun part about basic mathematics research is that sometimes it suddenly just perfectly solves some other problem hundreds of years later.

Like that time in the 1800s a guy figured out a solution to a 350 year old problem, and then in the 90s we realized that it was a description of particle physics and all the math had just been sitting there waiting.

From the article:

The research team suggests their formulas and algorithm could be used in robotics applications and also in physics research associated with the angular moment of an electron—or in quantum research centered around the study of evolution of a quantum bit.

I feel like there has to be some clever use case, but I've got nothing

It classifies as a basic math result, I'd think. Math is all interconnected, so you'd expect everything to have an economic impact eventually by force of statistics. If there was a subfield of math that stubbornly refused to go anywhere near applications that would itself be interesting.

Coyote final gets a bolder to hit the Road Runner

I don't know, this might actually add some entertainment value.