Humanoid robots sprint past Bolt’s 100m record

A Chinese humanoid robot has stunned spectators at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing after completing 100 metres in 9.39 seconds, a time faster than the longstanding human world record held by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt. The robot, Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its preliminary heat on Saturday, August 22, at the second edition of the competition. Its performance surpassed Bolt’s 9.58-second record, set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. Another Chinese humanoid, Lightning, developed by smartphone manufacturer Honor, also crossed the line in 9.47 seconds, putting it ahead of Bolt’s mark. The results, however, came with a striking reminder that the machines are still far from matching the control, balance and athletic finesse of human sprinters.

Tiangong Ultra trailed Lightning early in the race before accelerating and overtaking its rival near the finish. After crossing the line, Tiangong stumbled dramatically and veered towards the sidelines, forcing spectators to move out of its path. Lightning suffered an even more dramatic end to its run, collapsing after the race and having to be carried away on a stretcher. The extraordinary times were nevertheless a major improvement over last year’s inaugural competition. Tiangong Ultra won the 100-metre event then in 21.50 seconds, meaning its latest performance represents a reduction of more than 12 seconds. Earlier on Saturday, Chinese state media reported that Lightning had recorded 9.32 seconds in a preparatory test, with a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second.

According to the development reported by Reuters, Lightning has also demonstrated considerable endurance. It won this year’s humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, completing the distance at a pace faster than the elite men’s human world-record pace. The robot had previously competed in the first humanoid robot half-marathon held in Beijing last year. During that event, Lightning stood 169 centimetres tall and had legs measuring 95 centimetres. Researchers subsequently lengthened its legs by 10 centimetres ahead of this year’s games. The 100-metre race is one of 51 events being contested at the games, which include football, dancing and competitions designed to test robots in industrial tasks.

The event has expanded significantly since its inaugural edition, attracting 2,056 robots representing 666 teams from 16 countries across six continents. Last year, the competition drew 280 teams. The games are being held at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval and are scheduled to continue through Wednesday. The rapid progress displayed at the competition reflects China’s growing ambition to establish humanoid robotics as a strategic emerging industry. Chinese policymakers and technology companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced hardware, with the technology expected to find applications in manufacturing, logistics and consumer services. Investor confidence in the sector has also surged. Shares in Chinese humanoid robot manufacturer Unitree rose more than fivefold during its Shanghai debut earlier this month, giving the company a market value of about $50 billion.

While the robots’ performances have generated headlines by exceeding Bolt’s record on paper, the comparison is not directly equivalent to a recognised human athletics record. The machines compete under fundamentally different physical and technical conditions, and the humanoid robot events are intended primarily to demonstrate advances in robotics rather than replace official human sporting records. The Beijing competition is nevertheless offering a striking demonstration of how quickly robotic movement is advancing.

By: Joyce Owusu