For decades, scientists have dreamed of building robots that can walk, run, jump, and navigate the world like humans.
Their latest training method? Soccer (or Football, depending on where you live in the world.)
In School of Football, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot is learning the beautiful game one awkward step at a time… until it masters the moves perfectly. What looks like a simple kick to us actually requires an impressive mix of balance, coordination, precision, timing, and control, things robots are still working hard to master.
Over four videos so far, Atlas progresses from basic drills and celebrations to kicking the ball, tackling the flashy Rabona, and eventually pulling off the even trickier “Ghost Rabona.”
By the end of the series, Atlas goes from awkward beginner to pulling off shots with surprising precision. Which is great news for robotics research and terrible news for anyone rooting for Team Humanity. Check out the four videos below!