Because robots will play all our sports for us in the future, Google recently used its DeepMind AI-powered learning to teach some Robotis OP3 humanoid robots how to play soccer. The little robots stand approximately 20″ tall and have 20 different joints for maximum mobility. Me? I have almost 10 times as many joints, and every single one aches when I wake up in the morning.
The robots are trained using deep reinforcement learning, an artificial intelligence technique that allows them to respond and adapt much quicker than robots trained using scripted lessons. Using this technique, robots quickly learn what actions are more likely to lead to positive outcomes and implement them more often.
In the [test] matches, the trained robots walked 181 percent faster, turned 302 percent faster, kicked the ball 34 percent faster, and took 63 percent less time to get up from a fall than robot agents working off a scripted baseline of skills,” said the researchers.
Watching the video, I found it almost hard to believe these were autonomous robots, not children in robot costumes. They play so well! Way better than I did when I played soccer as a kid. Of course, I usually spent the game on the opposite side of the field as the ball, hunting for four-leaf clovers. I could eat orange wedges with the best of them, though!
[NewScientist via TechEBlog]
With over 17 years of writing experience, Jonathan has had a passion for all things tech-related, ever since watching Inspector Gadget as a child. He's disassembled countless appliances and managed to put a few back together, and one still works. When not writing, he can often be found playing video games or accidentally hurting himself in the garage.