Humanoid robots outpace human records at World Robot Games in Beijing

Beijing hosted the World Robot Games over the weekend, showcasing robots that outperformed human records in athletics, boxing, football, and martial arts. Over 500 androids from 16 countries participated in the first-ever humanoid robot games. In the 100-metre sprint, a Chinese robot named Tiangong Ultra shattered Usain Bolt's 2009 record of 9.58 seconds, finishing in 9.39 seconds.

The robot also broke the 400-metre world record by nearly 5 seconds, finishing in 38.16 seconds, later revised to 38.15. Despite technical glitches and multiple failures, the robot managed to remain upright during its run. For 72-year-old spectator Hou Yali, the robot's performance was entertaining but not a demonstration of intelligence, and she would prefer robots for household tasks like cleaning and cooking.