Two humanoid robots ran 100 metres faster than Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China, as developers also tested their ability to perform practical autonomous tasks.
The five-day competition began Saturday and features 51 events, including 30 sports contests and 21 scenario-based challenges covering factories, restaurants, offices and emergency situations. Huawei, a technology partner, said more than 40% of the events require robots to operate fully autonomously.
Another humanoid, using the same model as the 100-metre winner, completed 400 metres in 39.7 seconds. That was faster than Wayde van Niekerk’s 43.03-second human world record cited in the source. Organisers placed thick mats beyond the finish because some robots struggled to brake after their sprints.
Robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng said the increased intensity of competition placed greater demands on battery management and thermal dissipation than last year.
The World Humanoid Robot Games also include EV charging, industrial assembly, material loading, restaurant work and emergency-response challenges.
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A cable-connection task tests machine vision, mechanical alignment and controlled force, while imperfect object positions assess whether robots can recover from errors without human intervention.
Beijing-based robotics startup Galbot said it would stage autonomous humanoid singles and doubles tennis matches, requiring robots to track the ball and serve and return shots.
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Hua Rong, chief marketing officer at robotics company Zeroth, said the commercial test would come after demonstrations, when buyers determine whether the machines can solve practical user problems.
