China started the World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, which will last for three days, aiming to showcase its progress in artificial intelligence and robotics, with 280 teams from 16 countries, including Brazil.
Robots are participating in sports like track and field and ping pong, as well as tackling tasks ranging from identifying drugs and handling materials to providing cleaning services.
The teams included a total of 192 representatives from universities and 88 private companies, including Chinese companies like Unitree and Fourier Intelligence, and utilized robots from domestic manufacturers like Booster Robotics.
“We arrived with the intention of competing and achieving victory. However, we are also keen on conducting research,” stated Max Polter, a part of the German football team HTWK Robots, which is associated with the University of Applied Sciences of Leipzig.
New and intriguing methods can be experimented with in the competition, risking failure in the process. Although losing the game is regrettable, it is preferable to avoid investing heavily in an unsuccessful product.
Humans and robots
Human-like figures collided and stumbled repeatedly in the games, where ticket prices ranged from 128 to 580 Iuanes (US$17.83 to US$80.77), both in football matches and race events.
During a football game, four robots crashed into each other and toppled over, while at the 1,500-meter race, a robot unexpectedly stumbled mid-run, eliciting reactions from the audience.
Despite the frequent falls that needed human help, numerous robots were able to stand up on their own, earning applause from the audience.
Games provide important chances for collecting data that can be used to improve robots for real-world tasks like factory work, according to the organizers.
Football games can assist in developing coordination skills needed for collaborative tasks in assembly line operations.
Human-like beings
China is dedicating significant funds to the development of human-like robots and robotics due to its aging population and increasing competition with the US in advanced technology.
The country has hosted several significant events showcasing advanced robots, such as a humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference, and the launch of stores exclusively selling humanoid robots.
