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Robots Battle for Championship

Tokyo's 12th Robo-One Grand Championship match

By Laila Weir, Newser User

Posted Dec 3, 2007 4:05 PM CST

(Newser) – Robots battled for the title of world champion Saturday at Tokyo's 12th Robo-One Grand Championship match, where amateur-built bipeds competed to stay on their feet. With companies giving up on consumer robotics projects due to high costs, "the future of robotics depends on amateurs," the chairman of the Robo-One committee told Reuters.

Toy companies have picked up some of the slack with simplified robotics projects, but the designer of the former Robo-One champ says they can't keep up with amateur development. "You cannot win the tournament without the help of a major innovation every six months," he said. "You don't see that kind of speed anywhere else."

[Images (14)]

[Videos (1)]

Humanoid robot Twendy-One carries a tray of breakfast as Waseda University student Genki Fujii is seated on a wheelchair during a demonstration of the robot designed to be safe to take care of elderly,... (Associated Press)

Two-legged "e-nuvo Walk" Verstion 3 robot kicks a ball during a press preview in Tokyo Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007. ZMP of Japan began selling the walking robot Thursday that runs on Microsoft's new robotics... (Associated Press)

A humanoid robot, without its facial skin, is displayed at Japan's largest robot convention in Tokyo Wednesday Nov. 28, 2007. The life-size dental training robot, dubbed Simroid for "simulator humanoid,"... (Associated Press)

A humanoid robot has her teeth checked by a dentist at Japan's largest robot convention in Tokyo Wednesday Nov. 28, 2007. The life-size dental training robot, dubbed Simroid for "simulator humanoid,"... (Associated Press)

Humanoid robot Twendy-One carries a tray of breakfast during a demonstration of the robot designed to be safe to take care of elderly at the university laboratory in Tokyo Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2007. The... (Associated Press)

Humanoid robot Twendy-One picks up a toast from a toaster and places its on a plate while Waseda University student Genki Fujii prepares salad during a demonstration of the robot designed to be safe to... (Associated Press)

Robots for Japan's largest industrial robot maker Yasukawa Electric, beat a drum for the demonstration at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, 29 November 2007. Some 200 companies and more than... (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)

An employee for Japanese manufacturer Kyokko Electric wears a flexible sensor tube on his hands to remotely control a humanoid robot named 'Wakamaru' by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, at the International... (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)

Robo-One Grand Chmpion at IREX (LilMissySuicide (YouTube))

Kiyomori, Samurai Robot (LilMissySuicide (YouTube))

RoboGames 2007 - Stair Climbing (tempusmaster (YouTube))

Humanoid Hits from RoboGames 2007 - Wrestling (BauerMECH (YouTube))

Humanoid Demonstration at RoboGames 2006 (BauerMECH (YouTube))

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Robo-One Grand Chmpion at IREX (LilMissySuicide (YouTube))

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Robots Battle for Championship