Chinese robot breaks 100m world record, beats Usain Bolt's time

A Chinese humanoid robot has shattered the 100-meter world record, clocking in at an astonishing 9.39 seconds during the World Robot Games in Beijing. The robot, dubbed 'Tiangong Ultra,' outpaced the previous human record of 9.58 seconds set by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. This remarkable feat occurred during a preliminary race at the second edition of the humanoid robot competition, which kicked off on Saturday in the Chinese capital.

'Tiangong Ultra,' representing the Tianzhuo team, not only broke Bolt's 2009 record but also significantly surpassed its own prior best of 21.50 seconds from the previous games. In the same heat, the 'Shandian' robot from tech company Honor finished second with 9.47 seconds, while a robot from Unitree, a robotics firm that recently went public, took third place at 12.41 seconds. Videos circulating on Chinese social media show the robots accelerating rapidly after the starting gun, with 'Tiangong' maintaining a close race with 'Shandian' before pulling ahead.

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I find it good that something like this happened. The players simply have to get used to the fact that they have to go a bit faster, run immediately or are clever enough to find the right sideline. Then that doesn't happen.

The World Robot Games, now in its second year, has brought together 666 teams and 2,056 machines, including 25 international groups. The expanded program aims to test the robots' athletic prowess and their ability to perform practical, real-world tasks. The competition, held at the National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the 'Ice Ribbon,' will feature 51 events and over 1,300 competitive sessions. Beyond traditional athletic disciplines like track and field, football, and martial arts, the games include more complex challenges such as table tennis, wrestling, and weightlifting.

This event follows a trend of robots demonstrating advanced capabilities. In April, robots already outperformed humans in the Beijing half-marathon. The 'Shandian' robot completed the race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, a time faster than the human world record, although the conditions were not directly comparable. The ongoing games highlight the rapid advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence.

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The players are running, and then it might be eleven seconds. I think we need to find a good balance between the intention of the rule and the practice.