At China's robot Olympics, the finish line comes with a padded wall and a stretcher
China's second World Humanoid Robot Games kicked off Saturday in Beijing. The spectacle comes as China pours money into its humanoid robot industry.
The World Humanoid Robot Games commenced in Beijing on Saturday, featuring robots competing in Olympic-style events. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images China's second World Humanoid Robot Games opened on Saturday in Beijing, with robots participating in sprint races, soccer, boxing, and other activities. The event is showcasing China's booming humanoid robot industry, despite robots' tendency to crash into physical walls during competitions.
A humanoid robot named "Lightning" ran a 100-meter sprint faster than Usain Bolt's world-record time from the 2009 Olympics. Robots crashed into padding walls at the end of the track after races, with some losing limbs. The Games, expected to feature over 2,000 robots over five days, include new events like tug-of-war, weightlifting, tennis, and martial arts.
The robot industry in China is attracting significant investment as AI technology advances, with shares in Unitree, a Chinese robotics company, surging following its trading debut. However, US humanoid robots have yet to enter mass production markets, with regulatory challenges hindering US industry growth.
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