Earlier this month, an extraordinary event unfolded at the Jincheon National Training Center’s archery range in Chungbuk. Top South Korean archers Kim Woo-jin and Lim Si-hyeon competed against a cutting-edge shooting robot, developed by Hyundai Motor Company’s tech team for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. This advanced robot, equipped with sensors to measure wind direction and speed, adjusts its aim accordingly and maintains precision without being affected by emotional factors. Despite both Kim and Lim being bested, they noted, “Competing against a robot that consistently scores near-perfect tens provided us with valuable insights.”
The South Korean women’s archery team has achieved an unparalleled feat by winning the Olympic team event ten times in a row. This success stems not only from the dedication of the athletes and coaches but also from strong external support. The team is known for its rigorous training regimen, with archers typically shooting around 400 arrows a day, six days a week, often continuing their practice independently on Sundays. In the past, their confidence-building exercises have included unconventional methods, such as walking through cemeteries at night or placing snakes inside their clothes. In preparation for the Paris Olympics, the team practiced intensively, even on the eve of their competition.
Last month, the team conducted specialized training in strong wind conditions near the Namhan River, chosen for its similarity to the wind patterns around the Seine River near the Invalides venue. They meticulously recreated the competition environment at their training center, complete with French-language announcements and simulated crowd noises.
Initially, the shooting robot was designed to detect defective arrows from international shipments by testing their accuracy. A Hyundai Motor representative explained, “We developed the robot to free athletes from the tedious task of manually identifying faulty arrows.” The robot has since evolved into a formidable training partner, consistently averaging a score of 9.65 points—outperforming even the best archers, who typically score between 9.2 and 9.5 points. Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Kang Chae-young remarked, “No one on the national team could beat it.” An insider from the archery community commented, “In a setting where only the highest level of excellence is expected, the shooting robot has become a significant challenge, greatly aiding in skill development.” The robot, weighing over 200kg, features advanced suspension technology that maintains balance on uneven ground, enabling precise aiming at targets 70 meters away.
For outdoor training, a ‘multi-camera system’—utilizing technology used in automotive lane-changing and parking assistance—was employed to monitor the athletes’ posture consistency while shooting. This system allows athletes to view real-time footage and analyze their movements in slow motion, down to 0.125x speed.
Additionally, a ‘heart rate monitor,’ first introduced at the Tokyo Olympics and developed by Hyundai Motor, has become an essential tool in the national team’s training. This device measures heart rates without direct sensors, using a video camera to analyze subtle changes in facial blood flow. Since 2021, it has been used to tailor individualized training programs, helping athletes manage their nerves by monitoring real-time heart rate fluctuations.
Understanding and controlling physiological responses to stress is crucial for archers. The body’s sympathetic nervous system releases neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and epinephrine under stress, which can increase heart rate. A typical resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). During team finals, South Korean athletes maintained a steady heart rate of around 70-80 bpm, while their Chinese counterparts often exceeded 100 bpm, which was a decisive factor in determining the outcome of competitions.
