Booster T1 Humanoid Robot Shows Advanced Soccer Skills Ahead of RoboCup, Denting Wall with Powerful Kick

A Booster T1 humanoid robot was filmed kicking a soccer ball with enough force to dent a wall during penalty-kick trials inside its manufacturer’s laboratory. The Beijing-based company Booster Robotics released the footage ahead of this year’s RoboCup competition scheduled for South Korea.

In the clip the roughly four-foot-tall, 70-pound machine struck several balls at a goal; one shot hit a wall hard enough to leave a visible dent, and another sent a camera flying across the room.

The T1 is equipped with force-control sensors from head to toe. It can chase, dribble, pass, shoot and stand up unassisted after falling. T1-powered teams won silver and gold medals in the adult division at last year’s RoboCup event in Brazil.

Social-media viewers posted reactions ranging from admiration to concern. ” Dr. ” Within the past couple of months, a handler in China was kicked in the groin by an advanced Unitree robot he was controlling, and a separate droid slapped a child during a dance demonstration.