The Rollbot is a grappling dummy, designed to mimic the movements of a real training partner as a result of a built-in AI. The scary-looking high-tech dummy is currently still not available, but indications show that it will be released to the public soon.
The next generation of grappling dummies is here, and it is somewhat scary, even though it is a very good alternative to the usual grappling dummies. The Rollbot is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu dummy that contains artificial intelligence (AI) which has it mimics the moves of a partner while you are rolling.
A highly impressive characteristic of the Robot is that its joints “break” when you apply submissions and you can also put it to sleep with chokes. You can easily put it back together once you’re done taking submissions all the way.
The idea for the Rollbot comes from Joe Rogan, who more or less asked for one on his podcast, wondering about the idea grappling dummy. Rollbot inventor Sam Hon took Rogan’s word to heart and built his version of the ideal grappling dummy training partner.
The Rollbot grappling dummy has sensors in the neck that allow it to gauge the amount of pressure someone is applying with chokes. A speaker placed in the head plays sounds according to the pressure exerted on the robot’s neck.
invention Hon also states that you can feel when you’ve been successful with “elbow, knee, and ankle submissions”.
What everyone is wondering is whether or not the robot can fight back, mimicking an actual live training partner. According to Sam Hon:
“It stays defensively responsible. I put a ballast inside its hips so it’s always trying to sit up and roll to a side. Its spine is also curved down so it can’t lay flat on its own. Feel like it’s almost trying to shrimp away. You will have to roll with it to really experience it.”
On the official Rollbot Instagram account, a post from a week ago states that the website for the dummy will be launching soon.
During the test phase, a Machado black belt named Samson Sausser took eh Roll bot for a roll, and it seems fun:
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