China’s humanoid robots break human records at World Robot Games
China’s push to lead the global humanoid robotics race took centre stage in Beijing, as robotic athletes competed in sprinting, football, boxing and martial arts before hundreds of spectators.
The World Humanoid Robot Games brought together dozens of humanoid machines and their human operators, with several robots setting new records while others struggled to stay upright or even complete their events.
Among the biggest highlights was Tiangong Ultra, a white, headless humanoid that reportedly ran the 100 metres in 9.39 seconds, faster than Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record set in 2009.
The robot, developed by a Beijing government-backed research centre, later set another mark in the 400 metres, clocking 38.16 seconds before its time was revised to 38.15 seconds.
But the competition was not without its comic moments, as some robotic runners failed to start, while others moved little faster than a brisk walk or collapsed moments after the race began.
The kickboxing events provided more entertainment, with one humanoid stumbling out of the ring and collapsing over the ropes before human handlers had to remove it.
