A Chinese humanoid robot has stunned spectators at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing after recording a 100-metre time faster than Usain Bolt’s long-standing human world record.
The humanoid robot, Tiangong Ultra, completed the sprint in 9.39 seconds during a preliminary heat at the second edition of the World Humanoid Robot Games. The performance was significantly faster than the 9.58-second record set by Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Tiangong Ultra was developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center and won its heat on the opening day of the competition.
Another Chinese humanoid robot, named Lightning and developed by smartphone manufacturer Honor, also recorded a time faster than Bolt’s mark. Lightning completed the 100 metres in 9.47 seconds during the competition.
Robots Show Impressive Speed
The performances represent a major improvement in the capabilities of humanoid robots, particularly compared with last year’s inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games.
Tiangong Ultra completed the same 100-metre distance in 21.50 seconds during last year’s event. Its latest 9.39-second performance demonstrates the rapid progress being made in robotic movement, balance, artificial intelligence and mechanical engineering.
However, the robots still struggled to maintain their balance after crossing the finish line.
Tiangong Ultra stumbled heavily after completing the race and crashed toward the sidelines, forcing spectators to move away from its path. Lightning also collapsed after finishing and had to be carried away on a stretcher.
While their finishes lacked the smoothness of human athletes, their recorded times highlighted the increasingly advanced capabilities of modern humanoid machines.
Lightning Records Even Faster Time
Chinese state media reported that Lightning had already achieved an even faster time of 9.32 seconds during a preparatory test earlier on Saturday.
The robot reportedly reached a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second during the test, further demonstrating its potential in high-speed robotic movement.
Lightning has also achieved success in other competitions. The humanoid robot won this year’s humanoid half-marathon in Beijing with a time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds.
The robot stands approximately 169 centimetres tall. Researchers reportedly modified its design ahead of the robot games by increasing the length of its legs by 10 centimetres. It had previously used 95-centimetre legs during the half-marathon.
The changes appear to have contributed to improvements in its running performance.
Humanoid Robot Games Expand
The 100-metre sprint is just one of 51 events being held at the World Humanoid Robot Games.
The competition includes events such as football, dancing and industrial-task challenges, allowing developers to demonstrate the capabilities of humanoid robots across different areas.
More than 2,000 robots representing 666 teams from 16 countries and six continents are participating in this year’s event.
The scale of the competition has increased dramatically compared with its inaugural edition, which featured around 280 teams.
The growing participation reflects the increasing global interest in humanoid robotics and artificial intelligence.
China Targets Humanoid Robotics
China has identified humanoid robotics as a strategic emerging industry and is investing heavily in the development of advanced machines capable of performing increasingly complex tasks.
Companies and policymakers are exploring how artificial intelligence, robotics hardware and advanced control systems can be combined to improve machines for manufacturing, logistics, industrial operations and eventually consumer applications.
The remarkable performances at the Beijing games demonstrate how quickly robotic technology is developing.
Although robots still face major challenges involving balance, coordination and energy efficiency, the dramatic improvement in sprinting performance shows how quickly researchers are advancing humanoid mobility.
Tiangong Ultra’s 9.39-second run may not replace Bolt’s human record in official athletics, since the two achievements belong to fundamentally different categories. However, the performance has provided a striking demonstration of the pace at which humanoid robotics is evolving.
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