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Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Robots race, play football, crash and collapse at China's ‘robot Olympics'
China kicked off the three-day long World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, looking to showcase its advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries. Robots competed in sports such as track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackled robot-specific challenges from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services. Teams came from countries including the United States, Germany and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises such as China's Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Competing teams used robots from Chinese manufacturers such as Booster Robotics. 'We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research,' said Max Polter, a member of HTWK Robots football team from Germany, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences. 'You can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest. If we try something and it doesn't work, we lose the game. That's sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed.' At the robot games in Beijing, which charged 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83-$80.77) for tickets, humanoids crashed into each other and toppled over repeatedly during football matches, while others collapsed mid-sprint during running events. During one football match, four robots crashed into each other and fell in a tangled heap. In the 1500-metre running event, one robot suddenly collapsed while running at full speed, drawing gasps and cheers from spectators. Despite frequent tumbles requiring human assistance to help robots stand, many managed to right themselves independently, earning applause from audiences. Organisers said the games provide valuable data collection opportunities for developing robots for practical applications such as factory work. Football matches help train robots' coordination abilities, which could prove useful for assembly line operations requiring collaboration between multiple units, commentators said. China is investing billions of dollars in humanoids and robotics as the country grapples with an ageing population and growing competition with the U.S. over advanced technologies. It has staged a series of high-profile robotics events in recent months, including what it called the world's first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots. Morgan Stanley analysts in a report last week noted a surge in attendance to a recent robot conference from the general public compared to previous years, saying this showed 'how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence.'
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Robot Olympics underway as bots fight for medals in Beijing
It's science fiction brought to life this week, as China hosts the world's first 'Robot Olympic Games'. Sounds like something from an episode of Star Trek or the Star Wars movie franchise, but the three-day event, officially entitled the 'World Humanoid Robot Games', sees AI 'athletes' from 16 countries competing across a range of events and disciplines. The AI bots are going head–to–head in sports such as football, track and field, boxing, and table tennis. Pic:However the event has already had its share of gremlins in the works, as at one of the first events – five–aside football – 10 robots the size of seven–year–old kids shuffled their mechanical bodies around the pitch, often getting stuck in a scrum or falling over each other in a pile of robot limbs. And the AI antics continued over at the athletics field, where one runner slammed right into a human operator, who was knocked to the ground in the incident. The teams of robots have been developed from scientific facilities across the world and are representing countries such as the United States, Germany, and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises. Pic:The games began in Beijing, China, this weekend, with over 500 androids competing for medals, but in their efforts, alternating between tumbles and falls, crashes and accidental scrums, in between, there were some frightening glimpses of real power as they competed in events from the 100–metre hurdles to martial arts. Max Polter, a member of the HTWK Robots Football Team from Germany, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, said 'We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research, you can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest.' In a 1,500–metre race, Chinese humanoids stomped, rather than raced, along the track at an impressive clip, easily outpacing their rivals, with the fastest robot reportedly finishing the race in 6:29:37 minutes. However, that is still a far cry from the human men's world record of time of 3:26:00. Pic:The Beijing municipal government is among the organising bodies for the event, and is keen to show the emphasis Chinese authorities place on the robotics industry and reflects the country's broader ambitions in AI and robotics. It's thought to also reflect a worry in China, as the country grapples with an ageing population and slowing economic growth, with the country staging a number of high-profile robotics events in recent months, including the world's first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing. This event drew criticism after several robots started to emit smoke during the race, while some stalled and failed to finish the event, which raises questions about the current capabilities of the technology at the moment. Pic:However, the Robotics and AI Sector in China has received government subsidies of over $20 billion over the past year alone, while Beijing is believed to have plans to establish a multi-billion-dollar fund to support AI and Robotics startups. Still, while some people may view such competitions and events as simply publicity stunts, industry experts would disagree and instead see them as crucial catalysts for advancing AI and Humanoid Robots toward practical real-world applications. We've come a long way from R2-D2.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Robots race, play football, crash and collapse at China's 'robot Olympics'
China kicked off the three-day long World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, looking to showcase its advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries. Robots competed in sports such as track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackled robot-specific challenges from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services. Teams came from countries including the United States, Germany and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises such as China's Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Competing teams used robots from Chinese manufacturers such as Booster Robotics. "We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research," said Max Polter, a member of HTWK Robots football team from Germany, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences. "You can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest. If we try something and it doesn't work, we lose the game. That's sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed." At the robot games in Beijing, which charged 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83-$80.77) for tickets, humanoids crashed into each other and toppled over repeatedly during football matches, while others collapsed mid-sprint during running events. During one football match, four robots crashed into each other and fell in a tangled heap. In the 1500-metre running event, one robot suddenly collapsed while running at full speed, drawing gasps and cheers from spectators. Despite frequent tumbles requiring human assistance to help robots stand, many managed to right themselves independently, earning applause from audiences. Organisers said the games provide valuable data collection opportunities for developing robots for practical applications such as factory work. Football matches help train robots' coordination abilities, which could prove useful for assembly line operations requiring collaboration between multiple units, commentators said. China is investing billions of dollars in humanoids and robotics as the country grapples with an ageing population and growing competition with the U.S. over advanced technologies. It has staged a series of high-profile robotics events in recent months, including what it called the world's first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots. Morgan Stanley analysts in a report last week noted a surge in attendance to a recent robot conference from the general public compared to previous years, saying this showed "how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence."
New York Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Humanoid machine face-plants at China's inaugural ‘robot Olympics'
A robot drew cheers from the packed crowd at China's inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games — until it spectacularly face-planted and had to be hauled off stage by two real people. The pratfall during Thursday's opening ceremony in Beijing offered a fitting window into the limitations of the machines during the three-day showcase of robotic ambition. More than 500 humanoid robots from 280 teams across 16 countries gathered to compete in everything from soccer to sprinting, with mixed results. 4 A humanoid robot face-plants at China's first World Humanoid Robot Games, prompting two humans to carry it off stage. ABC Teams from the United States, Germany, Japan and Brazil brought their mechanical athletes to compete alongside Chinese universities including Tsinghua and Peking, plus three ambitious middle schools. But the robots had other plans. During soccer matches, four mechanical players crashed into each other and collapsed in a tangled heap of metal limbs. In the 1,500-meter dash, one sprinting robot suddenly toppled mid-stride at full speed, drawing gasps and unexpected cheers from the crowd, who paid between $25-$80 to witness the future of artificial intelligence. 'We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research,' said Max Polter from Germany's HTWK Robots football team, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences. 'You can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest. If we try something and it doesn't work, we lose the game. That's sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed.' 4 While several robots took a spill and needed help getting up, many managed to recover on their own. ABC The opening ceremony mixed genuine technological achievement with comedic mishaps. Robots danced to hip-hop music, performed martial arts and played musical instruments including keyboards, guitars and drums. Some executed backflips and celebratory cheers like real athletes, while others demonstrated soccer skills and boxing moves. One robotic soccer player managed to score a goal after several attempts, causing the humanoid goalkeeper to dramatically fall to the ground in apparent despair. Another player tumbled but impressively stood up without human assistance, earning applause from spectators. Despite frequent falls requiring human helpers to right the toppled machines, many robots demonstrated the ability to recover independently. 4 A mechanical sprinter runs during the event, drawing gasps and cheers from the Beijing crowd. WU HAO/EPA/Shutterstock Organizers emphasized that these public failures provide valuable data for developing practical applications in factories and assembly lines. Soccer matches help train coordination abilities that could prove useful for collaborative manufacturing operations requiring multiple robotic units to work together, commentators explained. China is pouring billions into humanoid robotics as the nation confronts an aging population and escalating technological competition with the United States. The country has staged multiple high-profile robotics events recently, including what it claimed was the world's first humanoid robot marathon and the opening of retail stores dedicated to mechanical workers. 4 A humanoid boxer squares off in the ring, showcasing China's AI-powered robotics ambitions despite frequent mechanical mishaps. WU HAO/EPA/Shutterstock Morgan Stanley analysts noted a surge in public attendance at recent robot conferences compared to previous years, suggesting widespread Chinese embrace of what experts call 'embodied intelligence.' A government official quoted in the state-run People's Daily declared that every participating robot 'is creating history' during the event. Whether that history involves graceful athletic achievement or spectacular mechanical failures remains to be seen. With Post Wires
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Science
- Business Standard
Robots race, play football, crash and collapse at China's 'robot Olympics'
China kicked off the three-day long World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, looking to showcase its advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries. Robots competed in sports such as track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackled robot-specific challenges from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services. Teams came from countries including the United States (US), Germany, and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises such as China's Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Competing teams used robots from Chinese manufacturers such as Booster Robotics. 'We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research,' said Max Polter, a member of HTWK Robots football team from Germany, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences. 'You can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest. If we try something and it doesn't work, we lose the game. That's sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed.' At the robot games in Beijing, which charged 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83-$80.77) for tickets, humanoids crashed into each other and toppled over repeatedly during football matches, while others collapsed mid-sprint during running events. During one football match, four robots crashed into each other and fell in a tangled heap. In the 1500-metre running event, one robot suddenly collapsed while running at full speed, drawing gasps and cheers from spectators. Despite frequent tumbles requiring human assistance to help robots stand, many managed to right themselves independently, earning applause from audiences. Organisers said the games provide valuable data collection opportunities for developing robots for practical applications such as factory work. Football matches help train robots' coordination abilities, which could prove useful for assembly line operations requiring collaboration between multiple units, commentators said. China is investing billions of dollars in humanoids and robotics as the country grapples with an ageing population and growing competition with the US over advanced technologies. It has staged a series of high-profile robotics events in recent months, including what it called the world's first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots. The sector has received government subsidies exceeding $20 billion over the past year, while Beijing plans to establish a one trillion yuan ($137 billion) fund to support AI and robotics startups. Morgan Stanley analysts in a report last week noted a surge in attendance to a recent robot conference from the general public compared to previous years, saying this showed 'how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence.' 'We believe this widespread interest could be instrumental for China's continued leadership in the humanoid race, providing the necessary talent, resources, and customers to boost industry development and long-term adoption,' they said. Booster Robotics, whose humanoid robots are being used by a Tsinghua University team in the football competition, views soccer as an effective test of perception, decision-making and control technologies that could later be deployed in factories or homes.
