Boxing Robots Could be Used in Real-Time Matches

A Chinese company says it has created the fastest boxing robot in the world.

Designed by Qibo Robot Company and dubbed QIBBOT, the remote-controlled robot uses cameras to track an operator’s movements and translate it into the robot’s actions, in as little as one-hundredth of a second.

The company said the robot was inspired by the movie “Real Steel,” where robot boxing is a central part of the film. 

The company said its design differs from other existing remote-controlled robots, used in fields such as surgery or exploration, in the speed at which operators’ actions are translated into robotic movement. 

QIBBOT has a response time of around 12 milliseconds, a feat the team achieved by deploying software that could predict an operator’s movements and allow the robot to move preemptively.

Qibo also released a video comparing the latency speeds of its boxing robot compared to other teleoperated robots currently available.

While the current design features only one arm, the team said it is working on a follow-up iteration with two arms for greater mobility and more accurate gameplay.

The team said that they hope one day the robot will be commercially available for users to play real-time boxing matches.