The RoboCup Championship

[East Coast Pirate]

With the score tied 1-1, it's gone to a penalty shootout in a tense soccer match between teams from Israel and Australia.

As the Australian goalkeeper in his red jersey braces for the shot, the Israeli striker pauses. Then he breaks into a dance instead of kicking the ball. Perhaps he can be forgiven: He's a robot, after all.

Welcome to the RoboCup, where more than a thousand soccer-playing robots from forty countries have descended on the Dutch technology Mecca of Eindhoven this week with one goal in mind: beat the humans. Eventually.

The tournament's mission is to defeat the human World Cup winners by 2050 _ creating technology along the way that will have applications far beyond the realm of sport.

More: http://www.thepublicopinion.com/news/associated_press/national/europe/article_85fad950-01cd-5745-b90e-63912ffa101f.html

[NaturalHigh]

1. Very cool technology, but...

I will be really surprised to see them realize their goal of beating the World Cup winners by 2050. I'm not even sure I want robots that advanced.