Robotic Nation Evidence

No matter who wins, robotics take big leap forward: "A favorite in this league is Team Osaka, a club set up mainly by small and midsize businesses in the city. Its VisiON robot won last year's event in its debut. This year, the team will compete with a new version of the robot, called VisiON NEXTA. The 47.5-centimeter-tall robot bears a physical resemblance to its predecessor, but inside it packs far more punch.

For starters, it can process data eight times faster than its predecessor, and the resolution of its 360-degree field-of-vision camera is four times as great. Team Osaka officials say the key to winning the competition will be how quickly a robot can get to its feet again after falling over in clashes with rivals. RoboCup officials say one of the most noticeable technological improvements in the competition has been the advancement in sensor technology, particularly in the increased processing power, which improves the robots' ability to see. "