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A Chinese-engineered humanoid robot has set a new 100-metre sprint record for humanoid robots, completing the race in 8.86 seconds at the ongoing World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.
The performance was recorded at the five-day, Olympic-style competition, organised by the Beijing Municipal Government and several associated institutions.
For comparison, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt holds the human 100-metre world record of 9.58 seconds, set in 2009. The robot’s latest performance also improved on several earlier runs at the competition, including times of 9.32 and 9.39 seconds.
After crossing the finish line, the robot collided with a soft barrier and fell, with sparks reportedly visible around its waist. Robotics experts said maintaining balance and controlling the robot during deceleration remain major engineering challenges at high speeds.
UCLA Professor Dennis Hong said engineering a bipedal robot capable of sprinting at such speeds is extremely complex because higher velocity makes it increasingly difficult to maintain balance, absorb impact and control movement while managing actuator power and battery consumption.
Experts said sprinting records are only one measure of humanoid robotics progress. Practical applications will also require robots to operate safely, avoid obstacles and quickly recover from unexpected disruptions to their balance.
The event has brought together more than 2,000 robots from 666 teams across 16 countries, including Japan. Competitors are taking part in more than 1,300 events, including football, long jump and table tennis.
China’s growing investment in robotics has helped accelerate advances in humanoid robot hardware, with companies and research institutions increasingly focusing on commercial and practical applications.