Humanoid robots are intended to produce complex calculations, manoeuvre through complex obstacle courses, and perform movements with absolute accuracy. But as a recent viral video from China illustrates, even the most sophisticated artificial intelligence is not immune from a sudden distraction. In a big international tournament, one of the machines that is competing seems to have given up on the course altogether after seeing a bunch of dancing robot cheerleaders cheering on the sidelines.
The surprise occurred at the famous National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing for the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games. More than 30 different categories were available at the event, which included a variety of track and field running events and advanced agility tests. There were thousands of spectators in the stands; one walking robot was moving on its designated path but stopped its path. It was meant to take part, but instead the machine turned toward a line of brightly coloured cheerleading robots with bright wigs and pom-poms, stepping off track to watch their routine.
A Sudden Detour On Stage
Competitor robots kept continuing on the way away from their official course area while the cheerleading units danced synchronised moves. The video was recorded of the machine leaving the main platform structure and rushing straight for the performing squad. The wrangling of the wandering machine in the arena was rapidly taken over by the event organisers and arena technicians.
The video circulated quickly on social media around the world and gained millions of views as soon as it was published. The internet users swiftly made it a trending topic, leaving funny commentaries on the incident in the comment sections. A number of viewers had a good laugh at the machine’s abrupt “short circuit at first sight”, and others commented that even the more sophisticated algorithms can lose focus like a human worker in the middle of a hectic workday.
A combination of high-tech and entertainment. High-tech and entertainment.
The incident was a hilarious show for the crowd but also showed how unpredictable live robotics competitions can be. At the event, the engineers were developing complex navigation systems using real-time visual data processing. Visual sensors sometimes detect unusual environmental signals in the high-density environment of a stadium with many lights, a lot of motion and active performances.
As robotic development continues to push the limits, the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games is drawing international interest. In addition to the usual athletic competitions, fun displays such as the cheerleading competition demonstrate the versatility and mobility of today’s humanoid designs. The tournament continues to be one of the biggest exhibitions of high-level robotics research in the region, attracting researchers, tech enthusiasts, and visitors from all over the world.
See the video here:
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