This remarkable humanoid robot plays basketball at a professional level, truly.

      Its fluidity of movement is remarkable.

      While many humanoid robots continue to walk as if they are experiencing back pain or knee issues, the Unitree G1 robot, which debuted last year, showcases impressive fluidity.

      Digital Trends has previously reported on the G1’s movement capabilities that would leave even the best gymnasts envious. Various videos depict it in action, engaging in combat, recovering from falls, and even performing household chores.

      Now, a group of roboticists at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has trained the same G1 robot to move like a professional basketball player, even shooting hoops. This is an incredible accomplishment that generates excitement for the future of humanoid robotics.

      By collaborating with Unitree’s compact and highly versatile G1 humanoid robot, the team has effectively made it resemble a pro basketball player, skillfully controlling the ball while executing smooth movements before shooting it toward the basket like Nikola Jokić.

      To achieve this, the roboticists utilized SkillMimic, an AI modeling framework that learns from human demonstrations captured in videos and motion-tracking suits, then optimizes those actions in virtual training environments until they are polished enough for real-world use, as reported by Interesting Engineering.

      For those familiar with this area, you may remember a humanoid robot introduced by Toyota seven years ago that could also shoot hoops. However, the original model was limited to throwing the basketball from a fixed spot, while a newer version incorporates wheels that enable it to navigate the court.

      In contrast, Toyota's robot lacks the agility and body movements displayed by the G1 robot, which is what makes Unitree’s creation exceptional.

      The work of the roboticists with the G1 signifies a significant advancement in sim-to-real AI transfer, allowing humanoid robots to excel in complex, dynamic tasks in unstructured real-world settings following simulated training.

      Bridging the gap between laboratory simulations and real-world applications could greatly influence the deployment of humanoid robots in places such as warehouses and other environments where they work alongside humans—an important focus for the increasing number of companies developing such systems.

      Unitree launched the G1 humanoid robot last year and began selling it in February for approximately $13,000, aiming at research institutions, universities, and businesses for R&D in humanoid robotics and AI. This individual from the U.S. also purchased one for his home workshop and created a rather frightening project just in time for Halloween.

      Not too long ago, Trevor relocated from one tea-drinking island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

      21 great Black Friday deals: grab your bargains now

      All the latest offers from Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and more are available now that the Black Friday sales have arrived.

      Black Friday is here—the turkey has been consumed, and the big sales are ready for all to explore. Having been doing this for over ten years, these are the best deals I’ve encountered so far.

      Shop Amazon's Black Friday deals

      This keyboard likely exceeds yours in functionality, and it’s available for 31% off for Black Friday only.

      Equipping yourself with premium keys doesn’t have to come with a premium price tag.

      Even with the best GPU and a sleek monitor, lacking the right input devices means you won’t maximize your system's potential. That’s why having an elite keyboard at your disposal is crucial, and you can do so without the hefty price tag, thanks to an excellent 31% off Black Friday deal on the Redragon GALATIN PRO K719.

      Tired of low-quality AI content? This tool rewinds the internet to the pre-ChatGPT era.

      If the internet lately feels overwhelmed with AI-generated clutter, there’s a new tool that may help declutter it. Slop Evader is a browser extension that filters your search results to show only content from before November 30, 2022—the day ChatGPT launched, which led to a massive influx of AI-generated content online. By installing this extension on Chrome or Firefox, your searches will bypass the flood of AI-generated junk and present you with the pre-ChatGPT internet.

      How does it function? Unlike DuckDuckGo, which scans for AI content, Slop Evader uses a date filter in your search queries to exclude results created after the cutoff date. This way, you evade AI-generated articles, synthetic media spam, and other low-quality AI content in your search results. It currently filters searches on popular platforms where AI content is prevalent, such as YouTube, Reddit, Stack Exchange, and the parenting site MumsNet.