Humanoid Robots to Beat Humans by 2050: Robocup Organizers Say [Video]

The organizers of RoboCup Soccer, a tournament that has soccer-playing robots, have announced that, by 2050, humanoid robots could compete and even beat humans at the game.

Robots from around 40 countries took part in the RoboCup 2013, a Mecca for soccer playing robots, at the Dutch technology hub of Eindhoven, according to IB Times.

"RoboCup is a worldwide project. The goal of the project is: Build a soccer playing robot that looks like a human and that can win from the human world champion in 2050!," according to Robocup's website.

Currently, the robots are pitched against each other in various categories such as large robots, small robots and even virtual robots. The main motive of the event is to support the idea that one day; scientists will be able to create autonomous robots that can display advanced strategy making skills.

The Robocup matches have a strict rule of zero human interference, except for when the game requires substitutes where humans need to take a robot off the field and when a robot needs to be taken away from the field after fouling an opponent.

So how do today's robots fare against humans?

"To be honest, I think a 3-year-old could win against any of the humanoid teams," Marcell Missura of the University of Bonn told the Associated Press. Missura's team won the teen humanoid class last year in Mexico city.

Apart from Robocup Soccer, the organizers have even created other tournaments such as Robocup Rescue- robots that can aid emergency rescue efforts and Robocup@Home- robots that can assist people in daily chores.

Robocup 2013 was held between 26 and 30 June in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.