A humanoid robot developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center ran 100 metres in 8.64 seconds at a competition in Beijing on Wednesday, setting a record performance on the final day of the event.
The timing recorded during the final of the 100-metre sprint surpassed the human world record of 9.58 seconds set by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt in 2009. The Chinese machine had already set a record of 8.86 seconds during heats on Tuesday, August 25, before improving its time further in the final sprint.
Future of embodied artificial intelligence
Industry leaders attending the five-day tournament described the competition as a vital proving ground for the next generation of embodied artificial intelligence. He Wang, the founder and chief technology officer of robotics firm Galbot, said the competition would provide a major boost to the overall development of the robotics sector.
Participants at the event said they could see a future in which humanoid robots become as common in daily life as smartphones are today. Embodied artificial intelligence refers to systems where AI models are integrated directly into physical robotic frames, allowing machines to perceive, navigate, and interact with real-world environments.
Sporting events and workplace scenarios
The second edition of the World Humanoid Robot Games featured 51 distinct events over five days in the Chinese capital. The schedule included 30 sports competitions alongside 21 scenario-based contests designed to evaluate robotic capabilities in practical work environments.
Organisers combined traditional human athletic challenges with operational tests in simulated factories, restaurants, offices, and emergency response situations. The tasks aimed to measure how effectively machines could adapt to everyday human tasks and industrial duties.
Weightlifting mishap at judges table
Not every attempt at the games went according to plan. On Monday, August 24, a competing robot collapsed into the judges table while trying to complete a lift during the weightlifting final.
Footage recorded during the competition showed the machine failing to support the weight it had attempted to lift before falling over. Event personnel quickly moved in to assist the fallen robot after it crashed into the judges table.
The event concluded on Wednesday in Beijing, with reporting provided in part by Reuters.
