Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- prowess / ˈpraʊ ɪs / (n.) – a great skill or ability at doing something
Example:The young chess player showed his prowess by winning the international competition.
- autonomous / ɔˈtɒn ə məs / (adj.) – able to make decisions or do things without help from others
Example:We bought an autonomous vacuum cleaner so we don’t have to clean the floors ourselves.
- tout / taʊt / (v.) – to talk about something in a very positive way so other people will want it
Example:Lily touted her bakery’s cakes as the best in town.
- intervention / ˌɪn tərˈvɛn ʃən / (n.) – the act of being involved in a situation to help or change it
Example:Without early medical intervention, the illness could become very serious.
- agility / əˈdʒɪl ɪ ti / (n.) – the ability to move quickly and easily
Example:Agility is important for soccer players because they need to change direction fast on the field.
Article
Read the text below.
While China’s men’s soccer team hasn’t generated much excitement in recent years, humanoid robot teams have won over fans in Beijing based more on the AI technology involved than any athletic prowess shown.
Four teams of humanoid robots faced off in fully autonomous 3-on-3 soccer matches powered entirely by artificial intelligence in China’s capital in what was touted as a first in China and a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games, set to take place in Beijing.
According to the organizers, a key aspect of the match was that all the participating robots operated fully autonomously using AI-driven strategies without any human intervention or supervision.
Equipped with advanced visual sensors, the robots were able to identify the ball and navigate the field with agility.
They were also designed to stand up on their own after falling. However, during the match, several still had to be carried off the field on stretchers by staff, adding to the realism of the experience.
China is stepping up efforts to develop AI-powered humanoid robots, using sports competitions like marathons, boxing, and football as a real-world proving ground.
Cheng Hao, founder and CEO of Booster Robotics, the company that supplied the robot players, said sports competitions offer the ideal testing ground for humanoid robots, helping to accelerate the development of both algorithms and integrated hardware-software systems.
He also emphasized safety as a core concern in the application of humanoid robots.
“In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans. That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe,” Cheng said. “For example, a robot and a human could play a match where winning doesn’t matter, but real offensive and defensive interactions take place. That would help audiences build trust and understand that robots are safe.”
Booster Robotics provided the hardware for all four university teams, while each school’s research team developed and embedded their own algorithms for perception, decision-making, player formations, and passing strategies—including variables such as speed, force, and direction, according to Cheng.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Humanoid robots in China are now playing soccer, and people are excited about the AI technology they use. What do you think about robots playing sports? Would you enjoy watching robot sports? Why or why not? Do you believe robots will ever be able to play human sports as well as people, or even better? Discuss.
- Sports competitions are being used to test and improve AI-powered humanoid robots. What do you think are the benefits of testing robots in real-world situations, like sports or daily activities? Do you think robots learn more from sports or from helping at home or at work? Why? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Some robots fell down and needed help, which added to the “realism” of the match. Do you think it’s important for people to see the imperfections or problems of new technology as it develops? Why or why not? What can we learn about technology and its development when robots or AI systems make mistakes? Discuss.
- The goal is to help people build trust and understand that robots are safe by seeing them interact. What would make you trust a robot to perform tasks safely, especially if it were near you or your family? Do you think direct experience with robots can help change people’s opinions about them? Discuss.
