REK introduces S.T.E.E.L, a teleoperation system for robot fights that it says works with VR and any mocap
REK's 10 November YouTube short names its fight-control system S.T.E.E.L (Sparring Teleoperation for Embodied Engagement and Locomotion). Price, release and how it differs from REK's current setup are not stated.
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On 10 November REK, the San Francisco promotion that fights remotely piloted humanoid robots, posted a short video on its YouTube channel titled "Real Steel is here. Introducing S.T.E.E.L, world's first fighting teleop."
The video's description spells out the name: S.T.E.E.L stands for Sparring Teleoperation for Embodied Engagement and Locomotion. REK calls it "the world's first fighting teleop" and says it "works with VR and any mocap", meaning VR hardware or any motion-capture system. Teleoperation is the term for a person controlling a robot remotely; in REK's fights, pilots steer the machines rather than letting them act on their own.
What this adds is a name and a compatibility claim. Until now REK has described its pilots as using VR headsets and controllers. Putting a brand on the control layer, and saying it is not tied to one kind of headset or suit, suggests REK wants the system to be something other people can use, not only its own pilots. That is an interpretation: REK's post does not say so.
What is not known. The post does not say whether S.T.E.E.L replaces or simply renames the setup REK already uses, whether it will be released to outside users, or when and at what price. "World's first fighting teleop" is REK's own claim and has not been verified independently. We have found no other outlet covering it, and the short is the only source we have read.
REK's fights remain remotely controlled, not autonomous. The video is embedded above from REK's own channel.