Robot Smashes World Record in 100m Dash at Beijing Games

At the World Humanoid Robot Games (WHRG) held in Beijing's speed skating stadium, a humanoid robot named 'Tiangong Ultra' shattered the 100-meter dash world record, completing the race in an astonishing 9.39 seconds.

This time is 0.19 seconds faster than Usain Bolt's 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds. The robot's performance represents a dramatic improvement from last year's winning time of 21.50 seconds, more than halving the record in just one year.

The competition also saw impressive feats in the high jump, where 'Tiangong Ultra' leaped 2.8843 meters. This mark not only surpasses the human world record of 2.45 meters but is also nearly three times higher than last year's winning record of 95.641 centimeters.

The WHRG, now in its second year, features 2,056 robots from 666 teams across 16 countries. The opening ceremony, held in the 12,000-seat stadium, was a sell-out event, including appearances by famous Chinese sports stars who competed against the robots.

However, the robots' capabilities in sports like soccer remain significantly behind human performance. Despite improved natural movement compared to last year, many robots still frequently fall or fail to engage with the ball. One instance of a robot falling while celebrating a goal and being unable to stand, requiring assistance off the field, drew laughter from the audience.

This year's games expanded the 'scenario competition' category, which tests robots' abilities in factory, logistics, and service settings, from six events to 21. Events such as food and beverage manufacturing and sales, and electric vehicle charging are scheduled for the second day of the competition.