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China to hold first humanoid robot Olympics

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-04 21:38

HARBIN: Robot makers around the world can show their creations and compete in the first International Humanoid Robot Olympic Games next June in China's northeastern city of Harbin.

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More than 100 universities from about 20 countries are expected to send humanoid robots to compete in 16 events in five categories, including track and field, balls, combat, dancing as well as domestic service such as cleaning and medical care, said Hong Rongbing, a professor with Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and an official with the China National Conference of Artificial Intelligence.

Unlike other games that allow both wheeled and humanoid robots, this event accepts only android robots designed in human forms, with two legs and two arms, he said.

Organizers had yet to set the specific dates of the games and they were still gathering sponsorship, Hong said.

The ultimate goal of the games was to make robots intelligent and flexible enough to serve people at home, Hong said.

The competitions would be held in the HIT, which boasted an Olympics innovation base expanded from a training center for a robot football team. The HIT team had won many championships in international robot football games, he said.