Chinese humanoid robots smash human records in 100m sprint and high jump

Chinese humanoid robots shattered human records, including Usain Bolt's 100-meter sprint world record, during the opening day of the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday. Over 2,000 humanoid robots took part in the five-day event, which is in its second year, and demonstrated China's rapid advancements in robotics amid a technology race with the US.

The games, held at the National Speed Skating Oval, featured 51 events and more than 1,000 competitions, including running, table tennis, and soccer. Chinese robotics dominates the global market, with the US recently imposing restrictions on imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, citing national security concerns.

At the 100-meter sprint, a humanoid robot completed the race in 9.39 seconds, outpacing Bolt's record of 9.58 seconds, set in 2009. In the standing high jump, a humanoid robot achieved a height of 2.88 meters, surpassing the previous record of 2.45 meters, set by Cuba's Javier Sotomayor in 1993. The event showcased a synchronized display of robotic coordination as hundreds of robots marched in formation onto the field.

Beijing-based X-Humanoid produced two of the record-breaking robots. Before the opening, a humanoid robot from smartphone company Honor completed a 100-meter sprint in 9.32 seconds during a pre-game trial, reaching a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second. Experts believe that while humanoid robots are primarily used for demonstrations, performances, and research, mass real-world deployment is still on the horizon.

Some spectators were impressed by the rapid improvements in robotic abilities, while others expressed a mix of excitement and concern about the potential impact on human employment. China's humanoid robots have become a significant presence on the global stage, with 16 countries participating in this year's games, including Germany, Japan, and the US.