Robots outrun Usain Bolt at Beijing games, but experts urge caution on comparisons

At the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, robots have shattered human speed and agility records, showcasing the rapid advancements in robotics. One humanoid robot blazed through the 100-meter dash in an astonishing 9.39 seconds, surpassing the world record held by Usain Bolt by several hundredths of a second. This robot achieved a peak speed of over 52 kilometers per hour.

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The event shows that many companies in China have succeeded in building high-performance robots.

Beyond the 100-meter sprint, robots also set new benchmarks in longer-distance races, breaking records in the 400-meter and 1500-meter events. In the high jump, a robot leaped an impressive 2.88 meters from a standing start, significantly exceeding the human record of 2.45 meters.

These achievements highlight the dramatic pace of development in the field. Compared to the previous year's event, the fastest robots in the 100-meter race took twice as long to complete the distance. Experts acknowledge the impressive engineering behind these machines, with Robert Katzschmann, an assistant professor at ETH Zurich specializing in robotics, noting that many Chinese companies have succeeded in building high-performance robots.

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The problem of running on two legs, we solved that in robotics research five to six years ago. That the machines would therefore become faster than us humans sooner or later was to be expected.

Katzschmann, however, suggests that these records are not entirely surprising from a cutting-edge research perspective, as the challenge of bipedal locomotion was largely solved in robotics research five to six years ago. He believes it was predictable that machines would eventually surpass human capabilities in speed. Nevertheless, Katzschmann finds direct comparisons between robots and humans somewhat absurd, likening it to comparing a bird to an airplane. He emphasizes that robots are explicitly designed for specific tasks, unlike humans whose physical forms cannot be easily modified. Furthermore, he points out that the competition accepts the destruction of participating robots, a scenario unthinkable for human athletes.

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It's a bit like comparing a bird to an airplane. After all, the robot is built specifically for a particular application, while we humans are stuck in bodies where you can't simply extend the legs a few centimeters.