Artificial intelligence soccer unveiled at Dalhousie University

Virtual Goals: Dal students win Robocup Dalhousie University’s robotics team recently won the world’s largest AI soccer competition.

HALIFAX — When you combine the world's most popular sport with jaw-dropping computer science technology, the result is a new and innovative soccer game.

"Each one of these soccer players on the screen plays the game," said Dalhousie University PhD student Mahtab Sarvmaili. "Consider them as an individual person."

She and her team have created a computerized soccer game, using artificial intelligence.

"They (perceive) the game, the area," said Sarvmaili. "They make a decision and they take an action in the environment."

Each player is individually computer-generated. They think and react on their own based on their environment and play and collaborate on the field during a game.

"They have a coach that leads to them through the game," said Sarvmaili. "That also give some suggestions on how to perform in the field."

The project recently finished first in a Robocup soccer simulation league and was unveiled at a time when soccer is at the forefront in Canada following the women's national team gold-medal victory at the Olympics.

Sarvmaili said she combined her work in artificial intelligence with her passion for soccer.

"The goalkeeper is totally different. The program for the goalkeeper is totally different from the other players," said Sarvmaili.

It's not only breakthrough in the field of computer science. This game can also help real-life soccer players improve.

"It can help team's coaches, improve their performance in a soccer game," said research assistant Nader Zare.

Sarvmaili hopes to launch a partnership with Halifax Wanderers.

"We are trying to design an application for them," said Sarvmaili.

She said it would possibly serve as an assistant coach. Not a real life coach -- an artificial intelligence soccer instructor.