From cooking to cleaning, humanoid robots put skills to the test in Beijing

Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval was turned into a testing ground for humanoid robots, moving beyond speed skating for the second World Humanoid Robot Games. These robots showcased abilities in various scenarios, from organizing office clutter to preparing and selling beverages. Over 2,056 robots from 666 teams and 16 countries competed in 1,301 events across 51 contests.

The scenarios tested robots' real-world workflows, aiming to determine their capacity to progress from movement to genuine utility. Real-world tests included cleaning hotel rooms, managing library books, and charging electric vehicles. Organizers noted that success required robots to adapt to changing conditions, a crucial factor for their deployment in workplaces.

Robots demonstrated remarkable speed in traditional sporting events, with Tiangong Ultra completing a 100-meter race in 9.39 seconds, outpacing the human world record. However, the "brains" behind these robots remain a significant challenge, as AI models capable of understanding the physical world and making decisions continue to lag behind.