China’s humanoid robots have proven they can run quicker than the quickest people.
Now comes the true take a look at: can additionally they deal with packaging and warehouse operations whereas reliably performing precision duties like connecting cables designed to guage their capacity to work like people in much less flashy jobs?
The five-day World Humanoid Robotic Video games, which began Saturday in Beijing, mix occasions modelled on human sports activities with these designed to check the robots in simulated factories, eating places, workplaces and in emergency conditions.
The video games, heavily promoted in Chinese state media, function 51 occasions, together with 30 sports activities competitions and 21 scenario-based contests. Greater than 40% require robots to function totally autonomously, in accordance with Huawei, a tech accomplice of the video games.
On Saturday, two robots ran faster than Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record within the 100-meter dash. That was a sharp enchancment from 2025, when the successful robotic’s time was greater than 20 seconds. Braking was a difficulty, because the machines slammed into a thick mat that organizers positioned a number of toes after the end line.
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Humanoid robotic beats Usain Bolt’s 100-meter file
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One other humanoid, the identical mannequin because the 100-meter champion, ran 400 meters in 39.7 seconds, sooner than South African Wayde van Niekerk’s world file of 43.03 seconds.
“The depth is greater than final 12 months, which locations vital calls for on the robotic’s battery administration and thermal dissipation capabilities,” mentioned spectator and robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng.
“It holds enormous significance for the event of China’s industrial sector.”
Robots will compete in tug-of-war and weightlifting, whereas Tai Chi and pitch-pot — during which contestants throw arrow-like sticks right into a narrow-necked vase — will give conventional Chinese language sports activities a futuristic twist.
Past the spectacle, the extra revealing assessments might come when robots encounter the small imperfections of the bodily world: a cable on the improper angle, an object simply out of attain, a shifting bundle or a missed step.
That assessments whether or not robots can determine objects, precisely place their fingers and our bodies, apply managed power and get well from errors with out human intervention.
Lumos Robotics Chief Government Yu Chao mentioned the video games might assist enhance {hardware} and supply a showcase for the business. However Yu mentioned the longer-term worth will rely on real-world drawback fixing.
“Solely when it will possibly work in these finish situations does it have actual worth,” Yu mentioned. “Merely working and leaping doesn’t enhance effectivity.”
Along with extra acquainted occasions drawn from human sports activities, robots will compete in EV charging, restaurant work, emergency incident dealing with and hand-dexterity contests. There are additionally industrial meeting and materials loading occasions. A cable connection problem is a take a look at of imaginative and prescient, mechanical alignment and power management.
Beijing-based robotics startup Galbot mentioned it might stage an autonomous humanoid tennis match, with robots trying singles and doubles play, together with ball monitoring, serving and returning photographs.
For Hua Rong, chief advertising and marketing officer at robotics agency Zeroth, the true take a look at will come after the demonstrations finish.
“The competitors might be whether or not, after the product is offered, it will possibly actually remedy customers’ issues,” she mentioned.
