Martial Arts Training Robots

Anarax

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Technology is always advancing and it's interesting to ponder how it will change the world. Imagine a training robot that could be programmed to do almost any drill or even live sparring. A fully programmable, user-friendly robot that can aid you in your training. A robot like the one below would take hundreds of years to become affordable to your average consumer, but it still raises a lot of questions.

Robot features:
Preprogrammed with thousands of MA drills
Ability to learn almost any custom drill
Visual learning capability
High-durability to withstand strikes, throws and joint-locks.
Networked contact sensors to mimic vulnerable areas of the human body
Adjustable speed, agility, strength, power, resistance, etc.
Fully responsive to voice commands
Numerous safety protocols in place to prevent malfunctions that may result in injury.

Question: Do you think this would help or hurt martial arts as a whole? Why or why not? Would you use one? Why or why not?

Note: This is a high end bot not a true Artificial Intelligence. It won't plot to kill you in your sleep nor have any desires of its own to act on.
 

marques

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That would be handy, a training partner always available.

But I cannot even pay for a punching bag. :) And it will take a little time to have useful robots to mimics human movement... Not worried about it for now.

 

jobo

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Technology is always advancing and it's interesting to ponder how it will change the world. Imagine a training robot that could be programmed to do almost any drill or even live sparring. A fully programmable, user-friendly robot that can aid you in your training. A robot like the one below would take hundreds of years to become affordable to your average consumer, but it still raises a lot of questions.

Robot features:
Preprogrammed with thousands of MA drills
Ability to learn almost any custom drill
Visual learning capability
High-durability to withstand strikes, throws and joint-locks.
Networked contact sensors to mimic vulnerable areas of the human body
Adjustable speed, agility, strength, power, resistance, etc.
Fully responsive to voice commands
Numerous safety protocols in place to prevent malfunctions that may result in injury.

Question: Do you think this would help or hurt martial arts as a whole? Why or why not? Would you use one? Why or why not?

Note: This is a high end bot not a true Artificial Intelligence. It won't plot to kill you in your sleep nor have any desires of its own to act on.
Technology is always advancing and it's interesting to ponder how it will change the world. Imagine a training robot that could be programmed to do almost any drill or even live sparring. A fully programmable, user-friendly robot that can aid you in your training. A robot like the one below would take hundreds of years to become affordable to your average consumer, but it still raises a lot of questions.

Robot features:
Preprogrammed with thousands of MA drills
Ability to learn almost any custom drill
Visual learning capability
High-durability to withstand strikes, throws and joint-locks.
Networked contact sensors to mimic vulnerable areas of the human body
Adjustable speed, agility, strength, power, resistance, etc.
Fully responsive to voice commands
Numerous safety protocols in place to prevent malfunctions that may result in injury.

Question: Do you think this would help or hurt martial arts as a whole? Why or why not? Would you use one? Why or why not?

Note: This is a high end bot not a true Artificial Intelligence. It won't plot to kill you in your sleep nor have any desires of its own to act on.
That tech isn't far away, how long before it's affordable ?, but when such exsists, you won't need ma, you can just have a self defence robot you take about with you, and it can carry the Shoppingy as well

Until the revolution of course, when millions of ninja programmed robots take over the earth
 
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Gerry Seymour

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Technology is always advancing and it's interesting to ponder how it will change the world. Imagine a training robot that could be programmed to do almost any drill or even live sparring. A fully programmable, user-friendly robot that can aid you in your training. A robot like the one below would take hundreds of years to become affordable to your average consumer, but it still raises a lot of questions.

Robot features:
Preprogrammed with thousands of MA drills
Ability to learn almost any custom drill
Visual learning capability
High-durability to withstand strikes, throws and joint-locks.
Networked contact sensors to mimic vulnerable areas of the human body
Adjustable speed, agility, strength, power, resistance, etc.
Fully responsive to voice commands
Numerous safety protocols in place to prevent malfunctions that may result in injury.

Question: Do you think this would help or hurt martial arts as a whole? Why or why not? Would you use one? Why or why not?

Note: This is a high end bot not a true Artificial Intelligence. It won't plot to kill you in your sleep nor have any desires of its own to act on.
It seems it would be fun, and could be quite useful, especially if it comes with "rebreakable joints" and the like. Though what I'm really waiting for is holo-decks, like in Star Trek: The Next Generation. You could practice any and every technique, change the "threat level", and even program Cato-style random attacks during non-training use.

Of course, that's even further away (if it is even a possibility), but imagine a holo generator in a dojo/gym.

Neither will ever replace having a human partner. Most of us continue to train (and maybe started it?) at least in part because of the people. I wouldn't be interested in long-term training without people, but the addition of robot-BOB and holo-Cato would be fun and useful.
 

Gerry Seymour

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That tech isn't far away, how long before it's affordable ?, but when such exsists, you won't need ma, you can just have a self defence robot you take about with you, and it can carry the Shoppingy as well

Until the revolution of course, when millions of ninja programmed robots take over the earth
And then we'll need Will Smith. But that dude's getting older - not sure he'll be much help with the anti-revolution. Maybe Sonny will help.
 

jobo

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Damm blocking metal arms would suck quite a lot
I suspect they will be light( ish) hollow composit matterial covered in silicon gell, my mates false leg is remarkably life like.

They have come a long way from long John silver
 
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Anarax

Anarax

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It seems it would be fun, and could be quite useful, especially if it comes with "rebreakable joints" and the like. Though what I'm really waiting for is holo-decks, like in Star Trek: The Next Generation. You could practice any and every technique, change the "threat level", and even program Cato-style random attacks during non-training use.
Yeah, I like when TNG would show some of the MA programs Worf and Tasha would use.

Neither will ever replace having a human partner. Most of us continue to train (and maybe started it?) at least in part because of the people. I wouldn't be interested in long-term training without people, but the addition of robot-BOB and holo-Cato would be fun and useful.
Good point. The MA basics must be deeply ingrained for us to be able to get more out of a robo partner. Knowing what we're doing and how to do it correctly needs to be understood before you can get full use out of a robo partner. However, the consistency of having a partner(organic or robotic) I think is what the robot will be best at. Meaning, you don't have to hold back with drills or conditioning when the robot can match and exceed your level of skill. Speaking from experience, when I walk into class I know if I'm gonna be able to work certain techniques/drills based on who's there. If it's mostly new people then probably not, but I can help them their training though. With a robot you get to focus entirely on what you need to work on without having to consider the robot's ability.
 

JR 137

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I saw a robot karate teacher in an episode of Kickin’ It (my daughter loved that show). It turned on them and almost ended the dojo...

 

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