Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed a four-legged robotic dog capable of dribbling a soccer ball.

Thanks to a combination of machine learning, onboard sensors, actuators and a camera, the so-called “DribbleBot” can traverse various terrains — including sand, mud, snow, gravel, pavement and grass — dribbling soccer balls.

Source: MIT CSAILSource: MIT CSAIL

To develop the DribbleBot, the MIT CSAIL team “practiced” with the robotic dog using computer simulations, collecting and learning from the data it accumulated via those computer simulations.

The MIT CSAIL team is eyeing the robots not for sports-related applications as suggested by the bot’s soccer ball dribbling capabilities, but future search-and-rescue missions.

For more on the DribbleBot, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of MIT CSAIL.

To contact the author of this article, email mdonlon@globalspec.com