- Title: GERMANY: Programmers predict man versus machine World Cup championship by 2050.
- Date: 14th June 2006
- Summary: BREMEN, GERMANY (JUNE 14, 2006)(REUTERS) LARGE BANNER OUTSIDE VENUE, READING "ROBOCUP 2006" INTERIOR PAN ACROSS TOURNAMENT SITE WITH MATCHES BEING PREPARED ON SMALL PITCHES JAPANESE TEAM MEMBER HOLDING BLUE ROBOT IN HIS HANDS, PLACING ON FLOOR BESIDE COMPUTER CLOSEUP OF ROBOT, SHAPED LIKE A DOG, WALKING ON PITCH ROBOT MOVING BALL JAPANESE SQUAD OF ROBOTS BEING LINED UP AT
- Embargoed: 29th June 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVACGBW26OVQN32EU19PMOGQJ1RB
- Story Text: Just when spectators thought they were watching the world's best football in Germany, there's a new game in town that is comparing man against machine.
The 2006 international RoboCup finals kicked off in the northern city of Bremen on Wednesday (June 14).
Hosts Germany kicked off the opening match against Japan and won 3-0.
"The game was crazy and it was difficult to predict. All of a sudden our robots switched themselves off because they were so scared. I guess they too first have to get used to the tournament," said software programmer Mathias Juengel after winning the match.
The squads play 10 minute halves in each match. During half time the programmers exchange hardware and insert their computer chips into the other team's outershells to make sure all of the movements are coming from the computer chip.
"With real humans it's different of course. They have their own will and with robots it's different," said spectator Sylvia Herzfromm after watching the game that left some biting their nails in anticipation.
In all, 2,500 scientists from about 40 nations are expected to take part in the event - not only for the competitions, but also for seminars on the future of robotics and artificial intelligence.
The long-term goal of the series is to have a robotic team capable of beating a human team by the year 2050.
"We'd like to have soccer champions or humanoid robots that are able to play against the human world champion - outside, on the field, by whatever weather will be there. If it's raining, it's raining. Now this is a long way to go, but if you see in the last 10 years what has happened in the last 10 years and you see what's coming up with technology I would say that it's not impossible," said tournament organiser Ubbo Visser.
The tournament is due to hold its final match on June 18. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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