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Humanoid Robot Combat in Japan
theluckyleper writes "New Scientist reports that the semi-annual Robo-One contest took place last week in Kawasaki, Japan. Humanoid robots (2 arms, 2 legs) battled it out one-on-one and in multi-robot brawls. The goal is to knock opponents over, or off of the combat platform. If a prone robot cannot stand back up in 10 seconds, it is eliminated. PC Watch (Japanese only) has more images and videos of the event."
interesting that the first thought that i have about what to do with robots is have them kill each other .. i'm glad someone agrees.. the horror! the horror! hehe
Not any more it doesn't. In the new Doctor Who the Daleks _will_ have legs! read for yourself
AI would be much more impressive. I was expecting/hoping it owuld be more like Robo Cup.
I'm not sure about the balancing issue, I feel like it would probably just be programmed with preset moves and have some sort of sensor to tell it when it needed to stand.
...Having fighting robots relying on AI could actaully be really neat. Does anyone know if something like this exists? {A quick google search ddin't turn up anything, so dont give me that crap about try google}
done
Exactly my thoughts. Why not work together with the people from Sega and use the AI-routines and part of the moves from Virtua Fighter/DOA/...
(I prefer Virtua Fighter, for the "more" realistic approach - floating characters aside). Part of the moves of course, 'cause I don't see today's robots do a summersault flip or a flying roundhouse.
But rather simple moves - like an ellbow strike or perhaps a "lift and toss" - should be able to be implemented.
That doesn't mean the computer with routines should be inside the robots, a wireless connection should be sufficient.
And then, Sega can go patent the stuff and sell virtua fighter robot-dolls. Excellent for chasing away the annoying cat of the neighbours, and kicking you in the nuts each moment you don't pay attention.
It's an order of magnitude more complicated to do AI in one of these then to do a remote control one. I read this complaint every time there is a Battlebots article or similar - the AI is not up to doing full control of one of them, at least with amateur development. It just won't stand a chance against a human opponent.
A little AI doing balancing might be helpful, but it is still a massive increase in complexity - they would have to be retrofitted with sensors and the ability to read the sensors, and processing the sensor data properly isn't easy (the DARPA race vehicles found interpreting the data they were receiving to be one of the most complex issues). I could see a large team working together getting it done, but it's an amateur sport at this point, and the resources aren't really there to do something that advanced and still stay competitive.
So let me get this straight. Companies are just beginning the path to humanoid robots and one of the first applications optimizes them for fighting?Wouldn't it be equally as challenging and interesting to have relay competitions? How about rock climbing? Terrain traversal?
Nope. Fighting. Swell. I'll be sure to make a copy of the article for my grandson to reflect on a hundred years from now.
You are checking your backups, aren't you?
I mean, granted they would start off with machine guns and some kind of high-powered laser. But I could see very quickly how people would change designs around, add some armor, and come up with some great new weaponry.
Just think.. missles with guidance capabilities. Heck, grab some of that starwars tech and launch multiple independant warheads at a target. Increase the frequency of your lasers to the upper EM band to allow them to travel greater distances. Heck, I bet you could make a long range projectable EM pulse by detonating a proton plasma shell!
And of course, there would have to be some sneaky tatics as well. Why else do you watch a no-holds-barred fight?
So I say, lets go for it! Screw these arenas! Grab a deserted desert island somewhere, setup a few hundred cameras and lets see which robot wins!
Oh, and there might be some minor millitary advantages to this as well.
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This contest is so much more interesting than the American 'wedge' contests. Instead of seeing wedges-with-wheels pushing each other back and forth, we might actually be seeing some advances in robotic combat involving bipedal maneuverability, advance artificial intelligence, and innovative motor control.