Despite decades of robotics research, current robots still struggle to acquire general and flexible dynamic skills on a human level. Tasks, such as table tennis, represent this set of dynamic problems that appear easy to learn for humans but pose a steep challenge for anthropomorphic robots. In this talk, I will argue that the robotic body plays a crucial role in the generation of such skills. In particular, muscular actuation (i) enables robust long-term training, such as is required with reinforcement learning, and (ii) fail-safe execution of explosive motions that allow robots to safely explore dynamic regimes. Stay tuned for table tennis playing, ball smashing, and precisely controlled soft muscular robots.
