Humanoid robot footballers have been battling it out on the pitch as intense qualifying matches take place ahead of the first ever World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, withs teams vying for a coveted spot in the finals.
The inaugural Games, which get underway at Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval on Thursday, will pit robots against each other in 26 categories ranging from traditional sports to practical workplace tasks.
As the first international competition of its kind, the four-day Games is bringing together 280 teams from 16 countries and regions around the globe, with over 500 humanoid robots, encompassing a diverse array of more than 100 models from leading global manufacturers, taking part.
The football competition is seen as one of the highlights of the event and teams have been facing off in a series of qualifiers to book their place in Friday's final.
In a 3-versus-3 qualifying match on Monday, a team of three robots from the Dalian University of Technology (DUT) Future team took on the Prototype team from the High School Affiliated to Beijing's Renmin University.
Distinguishable by their red and blue vests, these AI-powered robots orchestrated their attacks by demonstrating their dribbling skills, while they also showed off their blocking abilities in defense.
In the early stages of the game, the DUT Future team in blue encountered a setback when two of their robots required repairs and had to be hastily taken off the field of play.
Seizing the numerical advantage, the Prototype team ruthlessly capitalized by scoring, but the DUT's sole remaining robot player dug in against the odds and skillfully netted an equalizer unassisted.
Its sidelined teammates soon returned after undergoing some off-field 'treatment', and the match became frantic with both teams exchanging goals, culminating in a thrilling finish though it ultimately ended in a 4-4 deadlock at the final whistle.
"Our opponents are strong but we have some room for improvement. The 4-4 result is not the best outcome for us because we wanted to win. We aim to perform better in the next game," said Liu Zhongtian, a member of the Prototype team.
The qualifying segment adopts a round-robin format, with games taking place concurrently on three fields. A total of 26 teams, representing universities, companies, and overseas participants, are vying for victory. The preliminary rounds are set to span two days, with the finals scheduled for Friday.
The matches are taking place on the special soccer field which has been set up at the so-called "Panda Eye," located at the core venue of the world's first humanoid robot competition and training base. Featuring a 12-meter-high dome, its name comes from its hemispherical shape, which resembles a panda's eye when viewed alongside the surrounding architecture.
Robot footballers battle it out in qualifier ahead of inaugural World Humanoid Games
