Humanoid Robots in Beijing Break Human Sprint Records

Humanoid robots have surpassed Usain Bolt's 100 meter world record during the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. One robot, named Lightning and produced by Honor, recorded a time of 9.32 seconds, while another robot, Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, finished in 9.39 seconds. Both times beat Bolt's 2009 record of 9.58 seconds. Additionally, a robot ran 400 meters in 39.7 seconds, beating the human record of 43.03 seconds. The five day event includes 51 competitions, ranging from sports like boxing, table tennis, and taichi to practical tasks such as charging electric vehicles and connecting cables. More than 40 percent of the events require the robots to operate fully autonomously. While the sprint records provided a spectacle, industry experts and organizers noted that the real value of the technology lies in its ability to handle real world imperfections and perform precision tasks in factories or emergency situations. Center lean sources focused on the novelty of the events and the specific records broken. Center left lean sources emphasized the strategic importance of the sector for the Chinese government and the transition from exhibition to real world application. Center lean sources also highlighted the potential military and disaster response applications of the technology, noting that China's latest Five Year Plan places robotics at the heart of its industrial system.