The technological advance in robotics continues unstoppable and, on this occasion, the world is presented with a new revolutionary project: ARTEMIS, the fastest humanoid robot in the world. This project has been developed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) at the Samueli School of Engineering and is designed to compete in the 2023 RoboCup soccer category. In this article, we will talk about the features, innovations and challenges of this impressive humanoid robot.
What is Robocup?
RoboCup is an international robotics competition that is held annually in different parts of the world. The objective of this competition is to promote research and development in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, through a sports competition in which robots compete in different disciplines, such as soccer, rescue in natural disasters, domestic service, among others.
The competition was created in 1997 with the aim of promoting robotics and artificial intelligence as a means to solve real problems. Over the years, it has gained international popularity and recognition, becoming a major event in the world of robotics.
RoboCup is not only a sports competition, but also a forum for the presentation and discussion of advances and developments in robotics and artificial intelligence. In addition, the competition also offers a space for the exchange of knowledge and collaboration between researchers, scientists and professionals from all over the world.
In soccer competition, for example, robots compete in autonomous team soccer matches, with the goal of developing robots that can compete against human teams in the future. The robots are controlled by artificial intelligence algorithms, and must be able to detect and react to changes in the environment, such as the position of the ball and other robots.
ARTEMIS Features
ARTEMIS is a general-purpose humanoid robot designed by the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles (RoMeLa) that focuses on bipedal locomotion over uneven terrain. The robot is 1.42 meters tall and weighs 39 kg, and can run, jump and walk on unstable surfaces without losing its balance. The most impressive thing about this robot is that it can maintain stability even when violently pushed or disturbed, thanks to the high sensitivity and capacity of its sensors.
Innovation at ARTEMIS
The main innovation in ARTEMIS is that its actuators were specially designed to function like biological muscles. Instead of the rigid, position-controlled actuators used in most robots, these are elastic and force-controlled. ARTEMIS’s electric actuators instead of hydraulics are another important innovation, as they do not require fluid and work cleaner and more efficiently than robots with hydraulic actuators.
The ARTEMIS challenge in RoboCup
ARTEMIS’s participation in RoboCup is a great opportunity to demonstrate its ability in live competition situations. Although the robot has been tested in routine walks around the UCLA campus, rigorous testing is expected at the UCLA intramural field to assess running and soccer skills. Competition in RoboCup is also a challenge for the student researchers who have worked on the project, as they must ensure that the robot is fully prepared to compete and deal with any unforeseen events that may arise in the process.
Undoubtedly, the development of ARTEMIS represents a great advance in robotics, since its ability to maintain balance on unstable terrain and its speed of movement are impressive. However, it is also important to note that this project faces a number of challenges, especially in terms of preparation for the competition. Let’s see how it behaves in the competition…