Watch: Chinese robots stretchered off during failed AI football match
Four teams of humanoid robots powered entirely by artificial intelligence were pitted against each other for a series of three-a-side matches in Beijing, in what was touted as a preview of the city's World Humanoid Robot Sports Games in August.
They were equipped with advanced visual sensors designed to identify the ball, navigate the pitch, tackle opponents and score goals.
However, footage showed the robots clumsily bumping into each other, struggling to kick the ball and repeatedly falling over.
On two occasions, human assistants were seen rushing onto the pitch to carry off robots that had gone to the ground and were unable to get up.
The 4ft tall robots were provided by Booster Robotics and cost $29,800 to $49,000 each, depending on specifications.
Cheng Hao, the CEO, said the event was an ideal testing ground for his machines, and that robots could even play against humans in the future.
'In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans. That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe,' Mr Cheng said.
'For example, a robot and a human could play a match where winning doesn't matter, but real offensive and defensive interactions take place. That would help audiences build trust and understand that robots are safe.'
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