Robotics are entering in human life and now they will perform as directed even can carry a torch in opening ceremony of Olympics. Same happened in South Korea in a relay leading to PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018. Hubo, a humanoid robot has performed this task. Hubo was built by a team at the KAIST public research university and took out the DAPRA Robotics Challenge in 2005, had to perform a disaster rescue operation to hand off the torch to the next runner.
Torch robotics run was performed on the KAIST campus as part of a three-day leg of torch relay in Daejon. Torch was handed over to the Hubo by Dr. Dennis Hong as professor from University of California, Los Angeles arrived in an autonomous vehicle.
Hubo walked 150 m to a brick after once having the torch to a brick wall that it had to cut through before it could give the flame to its developer, Professor Oh Jun-ho. Professor Oh, in turn, gave the flame to Jung Jae Lee, a winning team member of the Samsung Junior Software Cup, who rode in a special robotic chair with legs for propulsion called FX-2. Both only took a few steps.
“Today’s special Olympic Torch Relay celebrating [information and communications technology (ICT)] was a fantastic display of innovation and creativity,” said PyeongChang Organizing Committee (POCOG) President LEE Hee-beom. “ICT is a very important part of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games as we aim to be the most connected and technologically advanced Games ever. Today was a chance for us to show the world some exciting technologies that will be showcased during the Games.”
The Winter Olympics begin in PyeongChang, South Korea on February 9, 2018 and run for two weeks.
