Two humanoid robots ran 100 meters faster than Usain Bolt’s world record at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday. Then they crashed hard into a wall set up at the end of the track, and staff had to carry at least two of the robots off on stretchers.
After falling behind early in the race, Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, caught up to Honor’s Lightning at the end and set a new record by winning its heat in 9.39 seconds. Honor Lightning beat Usain Bolt’s record time of 9.58 seconds in the 2009 World Athletics Championships with a time of 9.47 seconds. A Unitree robot took third place with a time of 12.41 seconds.
After setting those times, Tiangong Ultra slammed into the barrier at the end of the track, then staggered onto the sidelines, causing spectators to jump out of the way. Lightning and the Unitree bot both had to be carried away on stretchers after hitting the wall.
Last year, at the first World Humanoid Robot Games, Tiangong Ultra won the 100-meter sprint in 21.50 seconds. So it cut its time by more than half in just a year.
A humanoid robot built by Beijing-based company X-Humanoid won the 100-meter event. It also broke the standing high jump record with a 2.88-meter leap, well above the human record of 2.45 meters.
Over 2,000 robots are competing in the World Humanoid Robot Games
Overall, 2,056 humanoid robots from 666 teams across 16 nations will compete in 51 events over the five-day event, including 21 challenges based on real-world activities and 30 sports competitions. Events include soccer, table tennis, wrestling, weightlifting, tug of war, martial arts, dance, folding clothes, factory labor and restaurant service. The games, held at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, run through Wednesday.
