Robot makes history: Usain Bolt's world record broken
A Chinese humanoid robot covered 100 meters in 9.39 seconds at a competition in Beijing, surpassing the world record set by the Jamaican sprinter in 2009. Another robot also outperformed Bolt, though both struggled to stop after crossing the finish line.
A Chinese humanoid robot ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds—faster than Usain Bolt's world record—as part of the Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing held on Saturday, Reuters reported.
The robot Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its heat. According to Reuters, the robot overtook Lightning, developed by smartphone manufacturer Honor, near the finish line and finished with a time of 9.47 seconds.
Both robots set results faster than Bolt's world record, which stands at 9.58 seconds and was set at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.
However, the robots failed to replicate the elegance of the Jamaican sprinter. According to Reuters, after crossing the finish line, they collided with a thick mat designed to stop them. Tiangong lost its balance and veered toward the sidelines, forcing spectators to move away, while Lightning collapsed to the ground and was removed from the scene on a stretcher.
Nevertheless, the results indicate a significant improvement compared to last year's competition, when Tiangong Ultra completed the 100-meter run in 21.50 seconds. Additionally, the robot won the world's first half-marathon for humanoid robots last year.
Earlier on Saturday, Chinese state media reported that Lightning ran 100 meters in 9.32 seconds during a test run, reaching a top speed of 14.5 meters per second. This year, Lightning also won the half-marathon for humanoid robots with a time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds—a pace faster than the men's world record.
According to Reuters, Lightning stood 1.69 meters tall, and its legs were 95 centimeters long during the half-marathon. Researchers later lengthened its legs by 10 centimeters in preparation for the Games.
The 100-meter run is one of 51 competitions taking place at the Games, alongside soccer, dance, and other disciplines.
China bets on humanoid robots
China is promoting the field of humanoid robots as an emerging strategic industry, with companies and policymakers estimating that progress in artificial intelligence (AI) and hardware will lead to their widespread use in industry, logistics, and consumer applications.
According to the report, enthusiasm for the field was also evident in the capital market. Shares of Unitree, a prominent Chinese humanoid robot manufacturer, jumped more than fivefold on their first day of trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The company's market value reached about $50 billion.
This year's Games feature 2,056 robots from 666 teams, coming from 16 countries across six continents, compared to only 280 teams in the inaugural competition. The Games are being held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing and are scheduled to continue until Wednesday.
