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THORwin humanoid machine wins robotic soccer championship
THORwin isn't can't quite bend it like Beckham, but when it comes to robotic soccer players, it's one of the best. The US-made machine has just won top prize in the adult-sized category at this year's RoboCup in China, an international annual soccer competition for robots that aims to pit them against human players by 2050. THORwin, which was named after "Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot" and Charles Darwin, is five foot tall and weighs 119 pounds, while the contenders in the teen- and child-sized categories were much, much smaller. They all had to be able to play autonomously, sense opponents, dribble the ball past them and shoot goals, though -- just like in real soccer, except they're all stiffer, more awkward and more prone to falling over than human athletes at this point in time.
DARwin-OP, CHARLI-2 humanoids make history at RoboCup 2011, 'U-S-A!' chants ensue (video)
While most American sports fans were busy celebrating a World Cup victory over Brazil this weekend, an indubitably more compelling soccer tournament was drawing to a close in Istanbul -- site of RoboCup 2011. Virginia Tech's Team DARwin made history at this year's event, becoming the first US squad to bring home top honors in both the Kid Size and Adult Size competitions. The petite DARwin-OP humanoid danced circles around the lightweight class, while the five-foot CHARLI-2 demoralized Robo Erectus in the big boys' final with a last-minute penalty kick. In its international debut, the CHARLI-2 (pictured, in a moment of Zen, on the right) also earned the vaunted Louis Vuitton Humanoid Cup, ending a nine-year period dominated by teams from Germany and Japan. These programmed Peles may not the most graceful of strikers, but RoboCup organizers remain convinced that autonomous bots will be able to compete with human athletes by 2050 -- which might just give us enough time to develop a taste for soccer. Dribble past the break to see Team DARwin in action, along with an extra clip from the BBC.
Hanson Robokind puts a familiar Frubber face on robotic research (video)
He did it! As promised way back in 2007, David Hanson has turned his little Astro Boy-like Zeno robot loose upon our delicate planet. But Zeno is just one of four face options available for the Hanson Robokind -- the "almost human robot" considered "the best robot on the market" by its maker. In addition to the fully expressive Zeno, Alice, and Einstein (yes, that Einstein) faces, Hanson is also offering the static-faced Geo with fully functional eyes. Each face features Hanson's Frubber biometric skin that contracts and folds to simulate the action of your own flesh-coated facial muscles to create "millions" of possible expressions. These expressions are assisted by natural eyelid actions covering a pair of independently moving eyes, each equipped with 720p @ 30fps cameras for binocular stereo-vision. Rounding out the specs is a complete suite of sensors, microphones, optional Maxon motors, and an embedded computer with open source OS. Hanson's also working on a complete SDK it hopes to release ASAP. Prices start at $8,500 (model R-20) for a static body with motorized head on up to $14,750 (model R-50) for a maxed-out model with fully expressive head and walking body capable of 33 degrees of freedom. And hey, if you buy five expressive faces you'll get one interchangeable walking body for free. Now, get ready to get up close and personal with the entire Hanson family after the break.
DARwIn-OP humanoid revealed, ready to open source your robotics program
The next version of the RoboCup-famous DARwIn bot is about ready to give the Nao a run for its money. The new DARwIn-OP from Robotis and Virginia Tech's RoMeLa (led by Dr. Dennis Hong, who joined us on the Engadget Show earlier this year) is just about to land, and the first pictures of the finished thing have started to circulate. While the bot is designed to perform, with sensors and servos suitable for higher-end robotics, the main thrust of the design is the open source and modular nature of the hardware and software. The bot can be purchased as a product from Robotis, but the CAD files are publicly available, and its plastic parts can be fabricated by the end user to save money (you do have a 3D printer, right?). Rumor has it the robot will retail for around $8,000, around half the cost of its closed source Nao competition. The full unveil of the robot is due at the IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots a couple weeks from now.
Robots 'to beat world's best' human footballers by 2050 and other things said when high
We're as hopeful about the future as anyone. Sure, we fear robots, but we're bound to have at least a few years of peaceful co-existence before they grow weary of our human insolence and irrational buffoonery. Claude Sammut, professor of computer science at New South Wales University in Australia (and RoboCup regular), believes that robots will surpass the abilities of professional human footballers (aka, soccer players) by 2050. For this to happen, he says that the field will require "major advances in perception, decision making, learning, and co-operative behaviours." Of course, looking at the current field of RoboCup contestants or even around the house at the TV (largely unchanged since 1930), telephone (patented in 1876), and iPod (now 9 years old), it's hard to imagine technology advancing that fast. That is, until the rate of technological change accelerates so fast that we achieve singularity sometime in 2030 or 2050, depending upon who you ask.
RoboCup Soccer 2010 finals show impressive realism by feigning injuries (video)
The World Cup may still be ongoing (despite what the US, England, and a handful of others may think), but the RoboCup 2010 in Singapore has just closed shop with an edge-of-your-seat display of autonomous action. The final game came down to two German teams, the Darmstadt Dribblers and the FUmanoids. As seen at numerous points, both android teams have even learned the ancient art of diving, toeing the uncanny valley a little to close for comfort. Video after the break -- we won't to spoil the ending, so let's just say Germany won by a sizable margin. If fierce competition isn't your cup of tea, we've also got footage of DARwIn-LC, a low cost (hence the name) humanoid from our friends at Virginia Tech's RoMeLa. These adorable little guys cost about $2,500 apiece and will be going out to 11 of VT's partner universities. Update: Dr. Dennis Hong himself sent us a few clarifications. The DARwIn-LC is a collaboration between RoMeLa and the company Robotis. No price has been disclosed, but the $2,500 is incorrect. Additionally, the robot is being planned as a "true 'open platform.'" In Hong's words, "we are "planning" to post all CAD drawings, fabrication and assembly manuals, and also the basic software on-line for free. Thus any one with certain equipment, budget, and skills will be able to make one them selves - or purchase the entire thing or parts from Robotis. We want to form a community of DARwIn-LC users to share new ideas for improvement, hack it, etc. and use the robot for research, education, outreach, and of course, an easy entry point for the RoboCup humanoid division." Also hit up More Coverage to see how RoMeLa fared at RoboCup! [Thanks, Stefan]
RoboErectus Jr kicks, waves, dances its way into our hearts (and the Singapore RoboCup)
So, we've definitely had a few laughs at the expense of the RoboCup folks. Sure, the goal is admirable, and the amount of knowledge and skill that goes into developing these robot athletes is impressive. Until these automatons learn pick up the pace a little, howevs, there really is a snowball's chance that they'll be able to take on a human team. That said, these guys are learning new tricks every day. For instance, we caught some footage of the latest iteration of RoboErectus Jr., and it now has some good old fashioned showmanship to add to its repertoire of static kicks. See it bow, wave, jump, and dance at the Singapore RoboCup June 19-25 -- or merely check out the videos after the break.
RoboCup Japan Open underway in Osaka, mechanical soccer still pretty boring (video)
They can be adapted to a wide range of human activities -- spying, killing, and assembling automobiles, to name but a few -- but as the various RoboCup competitions remind us time and again, our soccer fields are safe from robot encroachment for the time being. The above specimen, a joint venture by researchers at Osaka University and the Osaka Institute of Technology, is in the Adult Size Class, competing against robots between 130 and 160 centimeters (4.25 and 5.25 feet) tall. The goal of the RoboCup organization is to develop an autonomous soccer robot that will defeat a human team by 2050 -- and it sure looks like it will take forty years at least to reach that goal. See the robot take a slow, measured goal kick for yourself after the break.
RoboCup bots experiment with our preconceived notions of competition, standing up
We've been tracking the glacial pace of RoboCup competition for a while now, and we're starting to see it as less of a credible threat to human soccer players, and more like an elaborate experiment on the part of the robots to broaden our perception of the world and competitive sport. Or maybe there's just a few more bugs to work out. This year's Standard Platform League of the RoboCup is based on Nao humanoid bots, and the Northern Bites team of Bowdoin College posted some truly insightful footage of the event -- the finals of which can be found after the break.
DARwIn IIIx RoboCup entrant gets shown off on video
We caught sight of the very first DARwIn soccer-playing robot way back when, but the folks at Virginia Tech's Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory unsurprisingly haven't been resting on their laurels all this time, and they're now out there showing off the bot's latest incarnation, which they hope will lead 'em to victory in the next RoboCup competition. Dubbed the DARwIn IIIx, this one apparently uses some of the same technology developed for Virgina Tech's DARPA Urban Challenge entry, known as "Odin," and is a complete redesign over the previous DARwIn IIx model, boasting an improved range of motion and a whole host of software upgrades that promise to improve its perception and let it better adapt to different lighting conditions, among other things. Head on past the break to check out the (unfortunately auto-playing) video.
Video: Nanosoccer... Oh. My. God.
Sometimes human awe and incredulity can only be invoked with the help of moving images. A truism related to overzealous police and nanobots alike. We've heard about the RoboCup nanosoccer exhibit since it was first on show back in 2007. However, it took this video of a microbot pushing a football on a field smaller than a grain of rice to fully ratchet our jaws to the floor. See what we mean after the break. [via Medgadget]
Robotic soccer players seek to challenge humans by 2050
As if we Earthlings didn't have enough to worry over with robots from every corner of the globe likely mounting a silent offensive to overtake our societies and claim ownership of our land, now we're faced with the startling realization that even our sporting events aren't safe from subterfuge. At the seventh annual RoboCup German Open, hordes of teams have descended upon the pitch in order to compete in robot-only soccer, er, football matchups. Quite honestly, everything seemed fine and dandy until we hit a quote from Stefan Kohlbrecher, a member of the Technical University of Darmstadt's Darmstadt Dribblers team: "The goal of the RoboCup is to compete against human world champions with robots by the year 2050." Funny, we'll supposedly be fornicating with androids by that same year. Cue Michael Stipe, please.
RoboCup footage roundup
With RoboCup now wrapped up for another year, we thought it'd be worth taking some time to spotlight some of the thrills and spills of this year's competition. Thankfully, there's no shortage of footage to choose from, much of which has found its way onto YouTube. While it's tough to pick a favorite, we were especially impressed with the match between the Darmstadt Dribblers and Team Nimbro, which not only featured ample amounts of hilarity, but a few actual displays of robot soccer skill (as seen above). Click on through for the complete video roundup.
RoboCup 2007: Winners roundup
Amid the oil, chips and gears of the gladiatorial sport of RoboCup, only the toughest, bravest, and those with the longest lasting batteries can emerge victorious. Like all great clashes, whether on the battlefield or on the ballfield, only one man (er, bot) can call him / her / itself a "winner." So who did win in RoboCup 2007? Well, the final standings (as detailed on the Cup's Wiki) don't exactly make for light or even sensible reading, but it appears that the foreboding yet attractive Team Osaka was beat out by Team NimbRo from the University of Freiburg in the Best Humanoid Robot event, the Tribots from the University of Osnabruck took home the middle-size league trophy, and the four-legged winners were the Nothern Bites, hailing from Bowdoin College in the US. For all the stats, you'll want to cozy up to a terminal with a nice, large cup of coffee and some serious hang time.[Via CNET]
Microscopic robots get their game on at RoboCup
Sure, witnessing the robotic incarnation of Ronaldo totally school his opponent and whip a game winner into the back corner of the net is quite impressive, but watching a nanoscale iteration attempt to do the same demands a slightly smaller (figuratively speaking, of course) level of respect for the creators. A total of five teams from North America and Switzerland built microscopic competitors that were around "six times smaller than an amoeba and weighed no more than a few hundred nanograms." The wee devices showed their stuff in the oh-so-fascinating Nano Cup soccer match, which had to be projected onto a screen in order for anyone to actually take a look at the action. Notably, several teams made mention of these diminutive creatures eventually ending up in various locales within the body, but we're sure the hardcore athletes were more focused on the final score than any future endeavours in the medical realm.
AIBO lives! Meet BJ, without the Sony bugbear
With Sony's AIBO long pushing daisies, it's getting harder and harder to field a team in RoboCup's four-legged league. No longer: meet BJ, the dark lord successor to the Sony AIBO. Developed specifically for research and competition, the BJ from aXi stands 12.2-inches tall and features a Linux OS, ARM11 CPU, Kondo KRS-4013 robot servo, 64MB RAM / 16MB ROM, 350k pixel CMOS sensor, IR sensor, accelerometer, and 4x "meat sphere sensors" (as translated by Google) which should allow the wee bot to hone in on the jugular jewels of any unscrupulous referees. Due to hit North America and places beyond this Fall for about ¥600,000 or $4,853.[Via Impress]
Robo Ronaldo scores midfield RoboCup goal
You've had ample time to scope out the vastness that is RoboCup 2007, but the fourth day of competition brought a little something extra in the form of an uber-talented soccer bot. The machines, which look an awful lot like those entered by Team Osaka, took to the pitch in order to give onlookers something to cheer about, and the videoed matchup between the forward and fullback captured the midfield goal perfectly. Interestingly enough, it seems that the defender either lost his footing or fell victim to a vicious headbutt to the chest, but his demise allowed the calculating shooter to line up an exquisite shot to the corner of the net. Enough color commentary, hit the read link to catch it for yourself.[Thanks, Danish K.]
Aldebaran's Nao robot makes RoboCup appearance
Aldebaran Robotics' Nao robot certainly doesn't seem to be in any rush to take over the world, but it looks like it's at least making some progress, as evidenced by its appearance at RoboCup 2007 in Atlanta this week. What's more, the company's just revealed that it's decided to give Nao some companionship, introducing a new, slightly smaller model with added sensors, eyes, and "dozens of other improvements," not to mention a spiffy new red paint job. While Aldebaran will apparently have more to say about that particular bot "in the next weeks so," you can check out a video of it in action at the link below, along with one of the older Nao walking slightly more steadily than before, though apparently still not able to muster up a kick.
The sights and sounds of RoboCup 2007
While you've already gotten a taste of the prep work involved at RoboCup 2007, we know a more multimedia-packed perspective of the gala is more likely to quench your appetite for roboto-a-roboto action. From mechanical canines bending it like Beckham to Wiimote-controlled AIBOs, Atlanta is the place to be if you're looking for all things robotic. Best of all, the gurus inside have translated their circuitry and programming skills over to the camera, and a well-stocked Flickr pool and YouTube library are already beginning to form. So go on, give the links below a gander, and be sure to check back as the week unfolds to catch even more of the madness at this year's RoboCup.Read - Northern Bites BlogRead - RoboCup 2007 Flickr poolRead - RoboCup 2007 YouTube library
RoboCup 2007: let the games begin
While we weren't able to get a first-hand glimpse of the mayhem that is RoboCup this time around, a camera-wielding Georgia Tech graduate student was able to do the honors for us all, and snagged quite a bit of impressive footage from the expo. Many of the shots were snapped during yesterday's practice rounds as competitors prepped their gear for battle (which began yesterday), and we must say that the oh-so-athletic Junior Soccer League robots are worth the price of admission alone. Still, even if witnessing robotic contention in person isn't enough to drag you to Atlanta, be sure to click through to get a glimpse of homegrown robotic innovation at its finest.
