Latest news with #G1
Gulf Today
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Queensland Derby tilt for well-travelled Lavalier
Lavalier has never raced in better form and Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings will no doubt be hoping a slight freshen-up and a barrier trial will benefit the three-year-old going into Saturday's G1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm. Considered a possible VRC Derby aspirant last spring, Lavalier failed to deliver in the lead-up before being sent for a spell. The son of former top two-year-old Microphone and the fabulous broodmare Accessories, who has produced five individual Stakes winners – including G1 winners and sires Helmet and Epaulette, recaptured his early form with three strong placings in Melbourne and Adelaide over the past six weeks. His latest effort, when third in the G1 South Australian Derby on 3 May, was full of merit after a tough early run from a wide barrier. Cummings floated the gelding back to Sydney before a tick-over barrier trial at Warwick Farm on May 22 convinced the young trainer to send Lavalier to Queensland. Jamie Melham retains the ride on Saturday and Lavalier, who will jump from an ideal barrier nine if the last four emergencies come out, is sure to run out a strong 2,400m. Stablemate Golden Mile will have to start from the outside stall in the the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup over 1,300m at Eagle Farm, but the five-year-old should be nearing a peak performance. Golden Mile rattled home from 12th on the home turn to finish third in the G2 Victory Stakes four weeks ago and then impressed when runner-up under a hold in Lavalier's trial at Warwick Farm. In-form jockey Jason Collett had the reins that day and has taken the ride in the Kingsford Smith Cup. Golden Mile has G1-winning form up to 1,600m, should appreciate the long home straight and be hitting the finishing line strongly. Pisces has been costly to stable supporters in four runs back from a spell and needs to lift to win the G3 Fred Best Classic over 1,400m. Fourth on heavy tracks at Hawkesbury and Doomben at his latest starts, a firmer surface should help Pisces who has drawn ideally in gate one with Melham to ride. Champion jockey James McDonald will ride Kin in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes over 1,200m as the four-year-old mare chases her second Stakes-race success. Third run back from a spell, after placings on heavy tracks at Hawkesbury and Doomben in Listed events, Kin will strip fitter and drops 1.5kg on her last performance when second to In Flight two weeks ago. At Rosehill Gardens, Kerrin McEvoy will ride Zebra Finch and Kerguelen in restricted events for Cummings, while Mareth and Snack Bar represent the stable at Caulfield. Two-year-old filly Mareth (Jye McNeil) will have her second start over 1,200m and Snack Bar returns from Brisbane to run against three-year-olds over the same distance with Harry Coffey aboard. Beautiful Love chasing more G3 success at Haydock Park: Beautiful Love bids to double her G3 tally in the Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock Park in UK on Saturday. Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Siyouni homebred stormed home to take last season's G3 Jockey Club Oaks at Aqueduct and ran another excellent race in the US to take a close fourth in November's G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
GTA Launches 'Air Fiber' Service, Powered by Tarana ngFWA, in Guam
TAMUNING, Guam & MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GTA, Guam's longest-serving telecom provider, and Tarana, creator of next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) broadband technology, today announced a new network that is expanding high-speed internet access on the island. After just three months of deployment, GTA passed more than 30,000 homes and businesses and already has hundreds of subscribers on the service. The first of its kind, Tarana's ngFWA platform is changing the landscape of the broadband industry by combining fiber-class performance with the deployment ease of wireless technology. More than 250 operators in 24 countries are deploying ngFWA to deliver better broadband more efficiently. A seasoned internet service provider, GTA has ample experience with legacy fixed wireless and other broadband solutions — none of which could deliver the speeds, reliability, or agility of Tarana technology at scale. Now GTA is offering up to 500 Mbps to many Guam residents that previously only had access to 25 Mbps service through copper networks. 'The feedback from customers on our Air Fiber service has been great,' said Andrew Gayle, GTA's Chief Operating Officer. 'It's been the perfect solution for areas that don't have GTA Fiber yet, offering fast speeds and a reliable connection. The GTA team recently installed Tarana technology at the Guam Animals in Need (GAIN) shelter, equipping the facility with hundreds of Mbps to operate their non-profit organization. Alison Hadley, GAIN's Executive Director, shared, 'Partnering with GTA — who donates their Air Fiber service to us — has been a game-changer for GAIN. It helps us stay connected, work faster, and support more people when they need us most. We're so grateful for this kind of partnership which amplifies our impact and demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change.' Basil Alwan, Tarana's CEO, added, 'GTA's work to close the digital divide in Guam is critical to their community and we are very proud to support their efforts. We look forward to seeing more progress on the island.' About GTA For over 70 years, GTA has been Guam's trusted provider of technology and connection. We provide solutions for every person and business with a team that truly cares. Supported by our next-generation fiber network, we provide wireless, high-speed internet, digital TV, and local and long-distance voice services that keep Guam connected to the world. GTA employees are committed to providing the highest level of service to our customers and to supporting our community. Learn more at About Tarana Tarana's mission is to accelerate the deployment of fast, affordable internet access around the world. Through a decade of R&D and over $400M of investment, the Tarana team has created a unique next generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) technology instantiated in its first commercial platform, Gigabit 1 (G1). It delivers a game-changing advance in broadband economics in both mainstream and underserved markets, using either licensed or unlicensed spectrum. G1 started production in mid-2021 and has since been embraced by more than 250 service providers in 24 countries. Tarana is headquartered in Milpitas, California, with additional research and development in Pune, India. Learn more at
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Watch as two lifesize robots swing punches at each other in the world's first humanoid robot boxing match
In a world where human boxers are at risk of dangerous injuries, we may have a glimpse of what the fight of the future could look like. New footage shows the world's first humanoid robot boxing tournament, which took place over the weekend in Hangzhou, east China. In the bizarre clip, two lifesize robots wearing gloves and protective headgear fight each other in a ring as a human officiator looks on. Each fighter robot weighs about 35kg and is 4.3ft (132cm) tall – roughly the height of the average eight-year-old child. Both the bots initially have trouble seeing exactly where their opponent is before successfully trading punches and kicks, to the delight of a baying crowd. Commentators were generally impressed with the matchup, calling it 'adorable' 'cool' and a 'historic moment' for the robotics industry. However, the two machines are remotely operated from the sidelines by their human developers, Robot Wars style. One person posted online: 'This is just the start. Imagine in five years with all the crazy tech advancements.' The 'G1' bipedal robots have been developed by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese robotics company based in Hangzhou. Marketed for $16,000/£12,000 and remote-controlled by an employee standing nearby, G1 is 130cm (4ft 3in) tall, can carry up to 3kg (6.6lbs) and can move up to 2m/s (5mph). G1 showcases some surprising coordination with punches and kicks, although it is capable of more refined interactions too, such as picking up and moving objects, shaking hands and waving at crowds. 'The robots fight in a human-machine collaborative way,' Chen Xiyun, a marketing team member of Unitree Robotics, told Global Times. Chen added that the robots demonstrated straight punches, hook punches, sidekicks and aerial spin kicks, and they got up from the ground after falling. The showdown was livestreamed on YouTube by CGTN (China Global Television Network), the English-language state-run news channel. And if the machine look like amateur fighters now, some people remarked that in just a few years robotic fighting will come on leaps and bounds. One said: 'They're likely remote-controlled, of course, but it still looks fun and it'll seem so primitive in just a few years!' It isn't quite clear what the intended use of this robot is quite yet. Although it boasts a number of impressive features it is also too small to replace humans in factory work A YouTuber said: 'Not quite ready for Primetime entertainment yet. Still a little underwhelming. Good first step- lots of potential.' Another said: 'The fact that they chose to include kicks for the robots and they generally pull it off is impressive.' A third said: 'Too be fair I think they should have made it fully autonomous, still impressive though.' Sunday's historic fight was part of China Media Group World Robot Competition, which included both fighting demonstrations and matches. The China Media Group (CMG) noted that all of the humanoid fighter bots are equipped with domestically developed technologies. While it may seem like just a bit of fun, the the world's first humanoid robot boxing match signals the gradual integration of AI into combat sports. In December, the world's first combat tournament with full-sized humanoid robots is set to be held in Shenzhen, Global Times adds. As well as G1, Unitree is the creator of Go2, an intelligent robot dog that can dance, do a handstand while wiggling its legs in the air and even rush to greet its owner. Go2 is similar to the Spot robot dog from rival Boston Dynamics, although it's been designed for consumers at a hefty price tag of $1,600 (£1,240). Unitree and Boston Dynamics are two of the biggest rivals in the robotics industry, although the former has been more focused on commercially available consumer models at more affordable prices. Spot, Boston Dynamics' most famous robot creation, first went on sale in 2020 and costs a whopping $75,000 (£60,000). Compared to Unitree's Go line, Spot has been more directed at businesses, to assist employees in industries such as construction, defence, and building conservation. In sci-fi films like Alien, humanoid robots are so lifelike that it's almost impossible to tell them from a real person. Now, scientists in Japan are on their way to creating real-life versions of these realistic machines. The experts from the University of Tokyo have created a robotic face out of lab-grown human skin. Creepy video shows the bizarre pink creation attempting a cheesy smile. According to the scientists, robots with real skin not only have an 'increasingly lifelike appearance' but could heal themselves if damaged.
Independent Singapore
4 days ago
- General
- Independent Singapore
Robot rumble: Unitree's humanoids throw punches in wild kickboxing showdown
CHINA: In an engaging demonstration of how advanced engineering merges with martial arts capabilities, four humanoid androids from Chinese cybernetics start-up Unitree Robotics went face-to-face in a 'never-before-seen' kickboxing match in Hangzhou on Sunday. According to a recent South China Morning Post report, the event, a live transmission via China Central Television (CCTV), captured the attention of spectators all over the country, denoting another audacious move in China's soaring ambition into the humanoid robotics frontier. From dance floors to fight rings Unitree's humanoid automatons have already pirouetted their way into national awareness—previously this year, its H1 androids showcased their 'abilities' together with humans at the Spring Festival Gala. However, Sunday's affair was all about tenacity, spunk, dexterity, and raw motorised power. The G1 robots, standing 130 cm tall and weighing 35 kg, donned normal kickboxing gloves and defensive head coverings. Controlled remotely through voice instructions and cutting-edge motion-control systems, they swanked punch combos, kicks, oblique side-steps, and even kip-ups—a gymnastic rise from the floor after being hit or whacked down. See also Facebook's 'Ugly Truth' Memo Shows Questionable Ethics AI-powered punches and precision In contrast to conventional remote-controlled technologies, Unitree's G1 robots function on cutting-edge AI-driven systems. According to Liu Tai, deputy chief engineer at China Telecommunication Technology Labs, these androids react to a sequence of instructions that trigger complicated sets of motion procedures. 'It's not about issuing a single command to move,' Liu clarified through the live transmission. 'The robot's movement, balance, and reflexes are controlled by a whole system of AI algorithms.' Each bout comprised three two-minute rounds, with scores given for clean attacks to the adversary's head or rib cage. Robots were knocked out if they couldn't stand up within eight seconds. In the concluding bout, the android controlled by tech influencer Lu Xin won. Unitree's 'strong entrepreneurial spirit' garnered accolades from the Chinese social media platform Weibo. China's humanoid robot race accelerates The kickboxing competition is just one part of China's aggressive push to lead in the evolving humanoid robot trade. Hangzhou-based Unitree is one of six local firms mobilising for mass production this year. According to TrendForce, a market research firm, over a thousand humanoid items are projected to come out of Chinese production lines in 2025, with key players including AgiBot, Engine AI, Galbot, and Leju Robotics. In addition, robot-focused sporting events are already on the drawing board. A Beijing event in August will showcase 11 sports, while a combat match with full-sized humanoids is slated for December in Shenzhen. As China's humanoids continue to develop from performers to competitors to industrial workhands, their act inside the ring may just be a sneak peek of larger clashes in the future.
