The world's first ski tournament for robots was held near the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics — and the pictures are incredible

pulse

February 13, 2018 5:12 PM

Eight robotics teams from a number of universities have competed for a $10,000 prize in the Ski Robot Challenge on the sidelines of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

If you're a winter sports athlete, you may want to look away now.

Because robots — some of them headless — are coming for your jobs.

While the planet's finest athletes contested the fourth day of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a bizarre robot ski competition took place on a nearby mountain.

Eight robotics teams from universities, institutions, and one private company all contested the Ski Robot Challenge at the Welli Hilli ski resort, one hour west of Pyeongchang, on Monday — and the photos are incredible.

Scroll down to see the robots that competed for the $10,000 prize.

Everything in this image seems normal until you realise that the legs on those skis do not belong to a human — they belong to a robot.

Robots of all different shapes and sizes competed at the Ski Robot Challenge on Monday. Here is a close-up of the body and leg section of one ski-bot.

Teams contesting the event had to abide by certain regulations to ensure the robots were fit for the slopes. For instance, every robot had to be taller than 50cm, stand on "two legs," and have joints "resembling elbows and knees."

Robots were fitted with camera sensors. This effectively enabled them to "see" the blue and red flagpoles that they had to ski around.

Additionally, all robots had to have independent power systems and had to be able to use skis and poles.

Here, one team takes its robot to the top of the slope.

This is the starting line. Go on, little buddy! We all believe in you.

Look at this one go!

Notice the red and blue flags that the robot competitors had to ski around.

This broad-chested robot left a beautiful skid angle in the snow.

Here, one skiing robot crosses the line in a blaze of glory.

A 12-year-old spectator was "amazed" by the spectacle. Son Ki-ryong told Reuters: "The robots recognise the flags as they can ski down while avoiding them."

Organisers of the Ski Robot Challenge held the event to coincide with the 2018 Winter Olympics as it would help promote South Korea as an industry leader in robotic technology.

Kim Dong-uk, the competition organiser, said: "In the future robots will have their own Winter Games on the sidelines of the Olympics held by humans."

But not all robots sped down the slopes. Here, one gets stuck in the snow...

...And this one appears to be caught in a net and suffering a malfunction.

The TAEKWAN-V team ultimately won the Ski Robot Challenge. Look out, Olympic athletes.

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