Viral Video of A Robot Easily Defeating Human Couple in Badminton is Altered! 

In recent times, there has been rapid development in both AI and robot technologies, showcasing capabilities that sometimes surpass human abilities. However, alongside these advancements, there has been a concerning trend of manipulated videos circulating on social media, exaggerating the capabilities of robots. Our investigation aims to shed light on this phenomenon and explore the impact of misleading content on public perceptions of AI and robotics.

Social Media Posts

The viral video with the caption "What will happen to the people with the advancement of technology?" purportedly shows a robot making a mockery out of the shots by two human badminton players and eventually winning an easy rally.

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Below is another instance of the same viral clip claiming to be "Robi playing badminton"

This video was widely shared on WhatsApp also, and many guessed these scenes to be real scenes, while others were sceptical, assuming the clip to be edited.

Fact Check:

Upon thorough investigation using the InVID-We-Verify tool, we found that the viral video was altered and misleading. The original video, uploaded by a Chinese badminton Facebook page approximately two to three weeks ago, shows that the purported robot is actually a human who was defeating a mixed couple in a badminton match, as seen here.

Here is the original video uploaded to Douyin (Chinese TikTok) on 13th December 2023. The player showing amazing moves is Zhang Tianyu, a national badminton athlete in China. More videos of this player can be seen here.

Therefore, the edited version of the original video incorporating VFX (Visual Effects), which replaced Zhang with a robot, is not an accurate representation of the actual event.

The comparison between the real video and the altered version can be seen below.

How to Identify VFX Without Digital Tools:

Inconsistent Lighting and Shadows: Observe the lighting and shadows throughout the video. Inconsistent lighting may indicate the use of visual effects, especially if the lighting conditions for the added elements do not match the rest of the scene.

Unnatural Movements: Pay attention to the movements of the subjects in the video. If there are unnatural or physics-defying motions, it could be a sign of visual effects. VFX elements may not seamlessly integrate with the real-world physics of the scene.

Reflections and Shadows of Added Elements: Check for reflections and shadows cast by added elements. If these elements do not interact realistically with the environment, it suggests the use of visual effects.

Detail Discrepancies: Examine the level of detail in the added elements compared to the rest of the scene. Inconsistencies in texture, resolution, or sharpness may indicate manipulation.

Contextual Analysis: Consider the context of the video. If the depicted scenario seems highly unlikely or impossible, it could be a clue that visual effects have been applied to create a fictional narrative.

Incongruent Perspectives: Evaluate whether the perspectives and angles of the added elements match the overall perspective of the original video. Incongruencies may signal the presence of visual effects. More details about Visual Effects can be read here.

This is not the first time that amazing moves by human players in games such as badminton, table tennis, etc., were edited by replacing robots using VFX techniques. Read our below fact check on one such earlier instance.

A video of a robot playing a badminton game with a human is edited! Know the truth…

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Conclusion:

The viral video is altered. The moves of Zhang Tianyu, a national badminton athlete, are replaced with a robot using VFX visual effects.

By detecting the video carefully, we can identify the visual effects. Awareness of these cues is crucial in distinguishing genuine content from manipulated videos circulating online.