A full-sized humanoid robotic named ARTEMIS strikes by a college lab after mechanical engineers college students at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering developed a first-of-its-kind robotic in Los Angeles, California, U.S., April 13, 2023.| Photo Credit: Reuters

Watch out, Lionel Messi. ARTEMIS is right here.

Standing at 4 ft, 8 inches tall (142 centimeters) and weighing 85 kilos (38 kg), ARTEMIS is a first-of-its-kind robotic that University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) mechanical engineers developed, and it's prepared for the pitch.

Using cutting-edge know-how, ARTEMIS, which stands for Advanced Robotic Technology for Enhanced Mobility and Improved Stability, can preserve its stability in opposition to heavy kicks and shoves, face up to objects being thrown at it, and is able to operating. But what units ARTEMIS aside on high of that's its capability to kick a ball.

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"If your robot cannot even play a game of soccer, how would you be able to use these robots for more important things, such as saving people's lives?" stated Dennis Hong, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) at UCLA, which developed ARTEMIS.

The applied sciences used for football-playing robots are additionally getting used for different functions like firefighting and catastrophe reduction, stated Hong.

While ARTEMIS is probably not on the subsequent FIFA World Cup, Hong's workforce will likely be unveiling its full soccer capabilities at RoboCup in Bordeaux, France, in July.

The robotic’s main innovation is that the engineers custom-designed its actuators — units that generate movement from power — to behave like organic muscular tissues. They are springy and force-controlled, fairly than the inflexible, position-controlled actuators that almost all robots have.

ARTEMIS’ actuators are additionally distinctive in that they're electrically pushed, fairly than managed by hydraulics. That means it's quieter and operates extra effectively, whereas additionally being cleaner, as a result of hydraulic techniques are infamous for leaking fluids.

RoMeLa pupil Justin Quan stated his private purpose is engineering robots that enhance individuals's lives.

"Seeing these robots helping push the robot technology to that next level is really rewarding because you're like, oh, the dream, it gets closer," he stated.