An advanced robot named Artemis is set to travel to Bordeaux, France, where it will participate in a football competition to demonstrate its capabilities across various categories.
The robot will showcase its skills at the 26th edition of the RoboCup event, a robotics and artificial intelligence competition co-organised by the University of Bordeaux. The event aims to bring together visitors and researchers in the fields of robotics and AI to share knowledge and highlight new innovations.
Taking part in the event is Artemis, made by mechanical engineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. The robot is a full-sized humanoid robot that possesses enhanced mobility and stability.
Robotic capabilities
While in Greek mythology, Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the moon and chastity, it seems the mechanical robot is all about mobility. Equipped with bipedal locomotion and the ability to run, Artemis stands at 4 feet 8 inches and weighs 85 pounds. Its mobility technology aims to ensure that not only can it remain upright while moving, but it can also tackle uneven ground.
During a lab test, Artemis broke records by walking 2.1 metres per second which is believed to be the fastest speed for any humanoid robot designed in an academic setting. Artemis can even handle being shoved and knocked, remaining steady when disturbed. The actuators that generate motion are often rigid in robots, making them easy to knock over or fall when tackling uneven ground. However, Artemis has radio-controlled actuators that behave closer to that of actual muscles.
Dennis Hong, a UCLA mechanical and aerospace engineering professor and the director of RoMeLa said, “That is the key behind its excellent balance while walking on even terrain and its ability to run. Getting both feet off the ground while in motion. This is a first-of-its-kind robot.”
Preparing to compete
Student researchers have been testing the Artemis robot ahead of the RoboCup event with various walks around campus. Leading up to the event, these tests will expand into exploring the robot’s running and capabilities and applying them to playing football. Other tests examine getting Artemis upstairs, carrying objects and even falling and standing back up.
The RoboCup event is a seven-day event with an expected 2,500 participants and 40,000 visitors. Artemis will be looking to impress at the event and showcase the best of what robotics offers. We have recently seen how AI tools such as ChatGPT could be used to control robots and drones in a new experimental framework.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.
