Qibot, a robot company, has claimed to create the world’s fastest remotely-controlled boxing robot, standing over six feet tall, with a lightning-fast response time of just 12 milliseconds.
Just as robots are designed to take over monotonous and repetitive tasks from humans, they are also seen as viable substitutes in violent situations. Militaries around the globe are turning to drones to minimise human exposure to dangerous zones, making the idea of robotic warfare familiar to many today.
Shandong, China-based Qibot Robot Company claims they have created the world’s swiftest boxing robot. At over six feet (1.9 m) in height, this single-handed robot can be remotely controlled and boasts a response delay of merely 12 milliseconds. According to the company, this speed is the fastest in the world.
Building the world’s fastest telebot
The team observed the noticeable lag associated with telerobots. They have discovered that 95 percent of these robots were designed for medium-to-low-speed tasks, with many experiencing response delays of over 100 milliseconds. Although a select few robots have managed to attain ultra-low latency, they are typically smaller and come with intricate teleoperation processes. The team recognised this gap and presented the ambitious task of constructing a large-scale robot boasting low latency.
The team concentrated on overcoming the bot’s mechanical and controller challenges to enhance speed and performance. They innovatively integrated a “feed-forward” controller and the standard feedback controller in the control algorithm. This new controller was designed to predict system lags, acting proactively to counteract the latency induced by mechanical systems and the virtual reality tools employed by human operators.
Fight it out with AI
To evaluate Qibbot’s responsiveness, the team staged a boxing match against another bot driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This AI was armed with tools to devise fighting tactics, comprehend offensive and defensive manoeuvres, and adapt its skills in real-time. As Qibbot and the AI-operated bot sparred, highlights were captured in the subsequent video clip. The Qibbot team asserts that their creation achieved an impressive low latency of 12 milliseconds, a timeframe even briefer than an eye blink, ensuring the human controller doesn’t perceive the delay. Concurrently, the team is refining Qibbot by adding an arm and more articulations to enhance its fluidity of movement.
