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From The Times
June 20, 2009

Microtrends

Diving soccerbots

Murad Ahmed

Why are robots rubbish at football? Because they don’t know how to take a dive.

- Falling over is a big problem for the soccerbots currently training for the annual RoboCup being held in Austria later this month. On impact with the ground, they are liable to fall on their heads or damage themselves. As the aim of the RoboCup project is to build a team capable of beating the best human side by 2050, robots are going to have to learn how to hit the turf gracefully.

- The University of Chile may have the solution. Its robot players are designed to fall in a controlled way, allowing them to get up and get on with the game. They can bend their knees, which helps to minimise damage. And its goalies can dive – a major step forward in robot footy.

- Come 2050, robot players may be super-fast, strong, skilful and able to take a dive just as well as Ronaldo or Drogba. Puny humans don’t stand a chance.

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