At the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute in Kyoto, Japan, a million-dollar humanoid robot is learning to play air hockey. Using stereo video cameras, "DB" watches as a researcher strikes the puck with his paddle. Then using its hydraulically powered arm, the robot imitates the motion. After a few false starts, DB is able to hit the puck, and its movements are surprisingly graceful. This sort of "imitation learning" is yielding smarter, more adaptive robots for physical therapy, search-and-rescue missions, and space applications.

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