Humanoid Robots Showcase Skills at Ancient Olympia, Highlighting Progress and Challenges in AI-Driven Robotics

Humanoid robots showcase skills at Ancient Olympia. But they're on a long road to catch up to AI

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) -- With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Outer space before house chores Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." Training material lacking AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." The race for useful data Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Brain cells Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." China is keen to display its robots, the U.S. less so One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was." ___ AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

Humanoid robots showcase skills at Ancient Olympia. But they're on a long road to catch up to AI

With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Outer space before house chores Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." Training material lacking AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." The race for useful data Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Brain cells Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." China is keen to display its robots, the U.S. less so One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was."

International Humanoid Olympiad held at the birthplace of Olympics

Forget the human Olympics, this arena in Olympia, Greece, is all about machines flexing their athletic skills. At the first International Humanoid Olympiad, robots are showing just how much they can do - dancing, boxing, playing soccer, and even archery. The ancient Greek city of Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympics. Organisers say they want to bring hype to robots, calling humanoids "physical AI". Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence (AI) in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins, robots with human-like appearances and skills, are lagging years behind. This event is designed to showcase the technology and push the industry forward, according to organisers. "We bring the humanoid Olympiad to Olympia because this is the place where humans started testing their limits for the first time, and this is where robots will start again. And we want Greece to be at the forefront of robotics and physical AI," said Minas Liarokapis, organiser of the event and the CEO of AI-powered robotic worker company Acumino. Alongside humanoids, robotic dogs and bionic limbs are showing off next-level dexterity. One example is the Psyonic Ability Hand, a robotic prosthetic designed to assist both humans and robots missing a hand to perform a range of tasks. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of Psyonic, said it can handle everything from household chores, such as cooking and laundry to extreme activities such as paragliding or arm wrestling. "We had three wooden boards set on fire and we had one of our users punch through it. And the hand is very robust. I've dropped it off the roof of my house at 10 meters, it survived. I put it in a dryer for 10 minutes," Akhtar said. Developers envision robots going beyond sports to assist humans in daily life, though some believe household tasks remain the biggest challenge. "The house is the final frontier. I really believe that humanoids will go to space first and then to the houses," said Liarokapis. "Because it's much easier to operate such a machine in a different extraterrestrial environment. The house is the final frontier in the sense that it's so unstructured, so dynamic," he added. "It requires dexterous manipulation. It requires a level of skill that only humans have. So for a humanoid system, it is really the Holy Grail". Others argue that robotics is reaching a tipping point. "Now we have 3, 4, 5 billion dollars circulating within the next 18 months in the humanoid global industry," said Luis Sentis, a professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at the University of Texas at Austin. "This means that in 12 months, [it] is what we call in the United States 'make or break'," Sentis added. "It's either it happens or it doesn't happen. So I think that we're going to see in the next 12 months cracking problem after problem in assembly, in transportation, in moving logistics". Organisers hope to make this competition a yearly showcase of robotic innovation.

Humanoid robots showcase skills at Ancient Olympia. But they're on a long road to catch up to AI

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) -- With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Outer space before house chores Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." Training material lacking AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." The race for useful data Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Brain cells Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." China is keen to display its robots, the U.S. less so One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was." ___ AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

Humanoid robots showcase skills at Ancient Olympia. But they're on a long road to catch up to AI

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece -- With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was." ___ AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

Humanoid Robots Showcase Skills at Ancient Olympia. but They're on a Long Road to Catch up to AI

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) -- With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Outer space before house chores Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." Training material lacking AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." The race for useful data Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Brain cells Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." China is keen to display its robots, the U.S. less so One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was." ___ AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

Humanoid Robots Showcase Their Skills, but They're on a Long Road to Catch up to AI

With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was." The final deadline for the 2025 Inc. Best in Business Awards is Friday, September 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

Humanoid robots showcase skills at Ancient Olympia. But they're on a long road to catch up to AI

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece -- With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was." AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

Humanoid robots display athletic skills at first International Humanoid Olympiad - VnExpress International

With jerky determination, robots played soccer, wowed children with shadow-boxing skills and shot arrows on Monday at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. As they shuffled and occasionally froze for a battery change, their creators and futurologists debated the central question of when robots will be ready to tidy closets and wash dishes. Outer space before house chores Despite the explosive advance of artificial intelligence in applications like ChatGPT, their physical cousins -- robots with human-like appearances and skills -- are lagging years behind. "I really believe that humanoids will first go to space and then to houses ... the house is the final frontier," said Minas Liarokapis, a Greek academic and startup founder who organized the International Humanoid Olympiad. The four-day event gathered experts and developers at Ancient Olympia in southern Greece where the flame is lit every two years for the modern Summer and Winter Games. "To enter the house it'll take more than 10 years. Definitely more," Liarokapis said. "I'm talking about executing tasks with dexterity, not about selling robots that are cute and are companions." Training material lacking AI is racing ahead thanks to vast amounts of data readily available online. But training material for humanoid robots is scarce. It involves real-world actions that are slower, more expensive and harder to record than digital data like text or images. By one measure, humanlike robots are roughly 100,000 years behind AI in learning from data, according to an article in the current edition of the journal Science Robotics. To catch up, author Ken Goldberg, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, urged makers to move beyond simulations and combine "old-fashioned engineering" with real-world training. That, he argues, would let robots "collect data as they perform useful work, such as driving taxis and sorting packages." The race for useful data Luis Sentis, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, said that successful robotics requires collaboration between researchers, data companies and major manufacturers to provide scale. Those partnerships, he noted, are already attracting billions of dollars in funding to develop humanoid robots. "These synergies are happening very, very quickly. So I do see these problems being cracked on a day-to-day basis," said Sentis, who's also a co-founder of humanoid maker Apptronik. Developers at the Greek event brought their own ideas. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and founder of advanced prosthetics maker Psyonic, gained international attention after appearing on the U.S. television show "Shark Tank" last year seeking investment for his company's bionic hand, which offers sensory feedback. That data, he told The Associated Press on Monday, could accelerate robot development. "We've built our hand for both humans and robots," he said. "So we're closing that gap by actually using the hand of the prosthetic on humans and then translating that (data) over to robots." Brain cells Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs, said that the Australian biotech company is developing a so-called biological computer that uses real brain cells grown on a chip. Those cells can learn and respond to information -- and potentially teach robots to think and adapt more like humans. At the Olympiad, organizers hoped to lay a foundation for annual competitions providing an "honest validation of the progress that has been made in humanoid robots," said Patrick Jarvis, who with Liarokapis is co-founder of robot maker Acumino. Organizers limited events to what humanoids could reasonably attempt. "We were trying to get the discus and the javelin, but that's tough for humanoid robots," Jarvis said. "We also can't say whose robot can do a high jump because you'd have to build special legs ... and that's not necessary for most humanoid robots." China is keen to display its robots, the U.S. less so One company even tested whether its machine could manage the shot put, said Thomas Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics, who worked to "get as many humanoid companies there as possible." In the end, several U.S. roboticists came to Greece to speak, but few brought robots. Chinese companies increasingly showcase their machines at public events, such as Beijing's first Humanoid Robot Games in August, while U.S. rivals mostly stick to polished videos that can mask failures. There are exceptions. Elon Musk revealed Tesla's Optimus in 2022: The prototype walked stiffly onstage, turned and waved to a cheering crowd. Boston Dynamics went further. Ten years after launching its dog-like Spot, the company had them dance in synchrony to a Queen song on "America's Got Talent." One of the five broke down mid-routine, creating a reality-show punchline, but also highlighting their agility and coordination. "Can I be honest with you? I actually think -- I don't mean this in a cruel way -- it was weirdly better that one of them died," judge Simon Cowell said. "Because it showed how difficult this was."