Watch: China stages first robot kickboxing match
Credit: CCTV/Reuters
Chinese-built humanoid robots have shown off their ability to throw punches and dodge right hooks at the world's first robotic kickboxing tournament.
The fighting wasn't sophisticated or particularly aggressive, often appearing more like a ballet than a boxing match, but it marked a new milestone in the global race to build an ever more realistic humanoid robot.
Four fighting robots, which boxed one-on-one and in teams and were controlled remotely by ringside humans, competed in the China Media Group World Robot Competition on Sunday.
The tournament was held in Hangzhou, east China, and was broadcast by Chinese state news, which boasted of the AI-enabled robots being equipped with only domestically produced technologies.
'I believe this is a moment where history shakes hands with the future. We are witnessing history,' the host of the event said.
The company behind the G1 bipedal model is Unitree Robotics, a prominent Chinese company often making headlines with its flashy humanoid performances.
Its flagship robot had a starring role dancing in the televised Chinese New Year's Eve gala in January. In February, the company started showcasing videos of the model performing martial arts moves, including the spin kick. By April, the robot was seen fighting with humans and easily getting back up after being knocked down.
'The robots fight in a human-machine collaborative way,' Chen Xiyun, a representative of Unitree Robotics, told the Global Times.
Each robot weighs only 35kg and is 4.3ft tall – the average height of an eight-year-old child. They can carry up to 3kg, move at 5mph and are equipped with motion control, a 360 degree depth camera and AI decision-making capabilities. The G1 sells for £12,000.
Credit: YouTube/Unitree Robotics
According to state media, the purpose of the competition was to train the humanoids to 'learn from experience'.
In each round, the robots initially struggled to work out where the opponent was, launching aimless punches as menacing blue-lit eyes peered out from their protective headgear.
The robots improved quickly, delivering stronger blows, downing opponents with front push kicks, contorting their bodies into splits, and twisting and turning with significant agility.
Recent advances in AI software and hardware design have brought highly advanced fighting humanoid robots far closer to reality.
Elon Musk's company Tesla is developing its own humanoid called Optimus. In January, the billionaire said that 'several thousand' will be built this year to help do 'useful things' in the car company's factories.
However, China's two leading robot manufacturers, Unitree and Agibot, are producing increasingly cheap yet advanced humanoids, designed to be used in everyday life, giving Beijing an early push for dominance in the market.
Credit: Reuters and CCTV
The Chinese humanoids have been seen running half-marathons, assisting in medical procedures, and solving Rubik's Cubes.
According to the Chinese Institute of Electronics, China's humanoid robot market is projected to reach 870 billion yuan (£89 billion) by 2030.
Beijing has also since set up a dedicated robotics venture fund worth more than £100 billion, in the hope that the robots could help plug gaps in China's ageing labour market.
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