With the advances in technology, it should come as little surprise that artificial intelligence developers are attempting to implement robots in human sporting events.
There are actually two modern leagues: Roborace, an in-development autonomous motorsport series that is headed up by Formula E driver Lucas Di Grassi; and The Drone Racing League, which uses drones with first-person-view to race around obstacle courses. They are investing heavily in technologies that could see cars and AI drones not only compete with humans but potentially beat them.
Both leagues have yet to have a robot defeat a human but there have been significant gains from the AI side of things. The hope here is that advancements in the field of autonomous drones will benefit other industries and not just those in the sports field.
The Real Use of Autonomous Drones
The thought here is that AI drones could actually be used in search-and-rescue missions or in an emergency response situation. There is also hope that these autonomous vehicles can do what electric vehicles have and create a space to push the boundaries of car technology.
The largest independent automotive testing area, the Transportation Research Center in Ohio, just recently opened a state-of-the-art $45 million connected and automated vehicle-testing facility known as SMARTCenter.
The oval track in this facility is 1.2 miles long and sports an urban network of intersections, roundabouts, and “oblique intersection scenarios” that are movable. These tests are meant to test autonomous cars in conditions that can mimic public roads.
How AI Drones Work
These AI drones use sensors, machine learning, and cameras to perceive the world around them. And because of the customized level of design, there are definitely advantages over their human counterparts.
Field of vision is one of these. To see a full 180-degree view, a person must turn his or her head left or right while the drone has a full-scope view. This is just one of the ways that drone technology is being used to an advantage over human abilities.
AI has come a long way and manufacturers are hoping that this is just the beginning.