Artificial intelligence (AI) in the world of sports may seem like a far-fetched concept straight out of a science fiction movie. However, astonishing footage has emerged, capturing the moment when an AI pilot defeated three human champions in a thrilling drone race. Alex Vanover, the world champion in drone racing, along with two other professionals, was left astounded as the AI triumphed in 15 out of 25 trials during a study conducted in Switzerland. The AI technology, aptly named ‘Swift’, not only showcased speeds exceeding 62mph (100km/h), but also exhibited a remarkable reaction time that was on average 120 milliseconds faster than humans.
This outstanding performance marks a significant milestone for the scientists at the University of Zurich, who aimed to take this groundbreaking technology beyond traditional board games. They explain that “deep reinforcement learning (deep RL)” has been instrumental in propelling advancements in AI, outperforming humans in complex competitive games such as Atari, Go, chess, StarCraft, Dota, and Gran Turismo. The Swift technology, which utilizes a combination of sophisticated learning-based algorithms, successfully mapped sensory information from the drone and controlled its commands.
In the study, Swift competed head-to-head with Alex Vanover, the two-time MultiGP International Open World Cup champion Thomas Bitmatta, and the 16-year-old Swiss national champion Marvin Schaepper. The race consisted of a track set up with seven square gates, through which participants had to navigate to complete each 246ft-long lap. To win a race, a competitor needed to complete three consecutive laps before their opponent across 25 rounds. Each pilot wore a headset that provided a real-time video stream aboard their aircraft, creating an immersive first-person experience.
The footage reveals Swift, adorned with blue lights, swiftly overtaking the human-piloted red drones as it maneuvered through each gate. Impressively, Swift emerged victorious against all three champion flyers, winning five races against Vanover, four against Bitmatta, and six against Schaepper. Furthermore, Swift’s average completion time for three laps was 16.98 seconds, a remarkable 0.4 seconds faster than Vanover’s runner-up time of 17.38 seconds. Researchers credit Swift’s speed to its long-term thinking ability, enabling it to execute sharper turns and more efficient maneuvers. Conversely, human pilots tend to plan their actions only up to the next gate.
Despite its success, Swift does have limitations, particularly in comparison to human pilots. Scientists believe that it lacks the resilience of humans, as they have the ability to crash at full speed and continue flying and completing the track if the hardware permits. Swift, on the other hand, was not trained to recover after a crash. Human pilots are also adaptable to environmental changes, such as alterations in illumination, which can significantly impact the appearance of the race track.
Nonetheless, Swift represents a significant milestone in the field of robotics, with experts hoping that it will inspire the development of other innovative technologies in the future. The remarkable performances displayed by Swift have opened up new possibilities for hybrid learning-based solutions in various physical systems, including autonomous ground vehicles, aircraft, and personal robots, across a wide range of applications.
In addition to its implications in the field of sports, AI and related technologies have proven useful in tackling wildfires. Professor Stefan Doerr of Swansea University acknowledges that while predicting wildfires is challenging in the UK, where most fires are human-caused, preventive measures can still be taken to mitigate their impact. Wildfires have devastating consequences, including the destruction of crops, loss of carbon stored in the soil and peatlands, erosion, landslides during heavy rainfall, and contamination of rivers and drinking water reservoirs. While fires are a natural part of certain ecosystems, in many cases, they have negative effects on the environment, wildlife, and fauna.
In conclusion, the integration of AI in sports, exemplified by Swift’s impressive victory over human champions in a thrilling drone race, signifies a significant advancement in the field of technology. The researchers at the University of Zurich have successfully harnessed deep RL algorithms to create an AI pilot that outperforms humans in complex competitive games. This groundbreaking technology holds immense potential not only in sports but also in various other physical systems. Additionally, AI technologies can play a role in addressing pressing issues such as wildfires, although their effectiveness may vary depending on the context.
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