Running faster than Bolt, but suddenly crashing into a protective wall; on the arena, one can kick an opponent down with a single kick, but when it comes to delicate movements, even reaching for a glass of water may be awkward. The just-ended World Humanoid Robot Championships allowed Chinese robots to show off before a global audience, and they created many hilarious scenes.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported on August 29 that the recently concluded World Humanoid Robots Conference allowed global viewers to witness the "stunning" progress of China's robotics industry over the past year, amidst admiration and laughter. Despite scenes of robots falling, hitting walls, and even catching fire during the competition, many international experts believe that China's progress in hardware and mobility capabilities of humanoids has exceeded expectations.
The 5-day event brought together over 2,000 humanoid robots, involving more than 660 companies, with the majority of them coming from China. The robots participated in events such as sprints, boxing, football, long jump, weightlifting, and obstacle races.
August 23rd, Beijing, venue for the free fighting competition at the World Humanoid Robot Sports Conference. Visual China
In the most eye-catching hundred-meter race, "Tiangong Ultra" managed to beat the world record holder in the hundred meters, Usain Bolt. However, some robots couldn't stop in time after crossing the finish line and crashed into the protective wall. Sparks flew everywhere, and parts of the robots were scattered, adding a lot of comedic elements to the race.
The report states that this competition demonstrates China’s leading strength in the field of humanoid robots. Data from the German Mercator China Research Center shows that by 2025, China will produce approximately 12,800 humanoid robots, accounting for about 90% of the global production. Meanwhile, American companies are also stepping up to catch up. Tesla’s highly anticipated Optimus is reported to have finally started production this month.
What really surprised foreign experts was the rapid progress of Chinese robots.
London Imperial College London's Professor of Robotics, Thrishantha Nanayakkara, said that China's progress in robotics is 'shocking'. 'It seems that everything is starting to take shape... By 2030, the world will be different.'
The data is equally intuitive. The fastest “Tiangong Ultra” can cover a hundred meters in less than half the time compared to last year, and the robot’s maximum jump height has increased sharply from 0.96 meters to 3.40 meters.
Ingo Keller, the head of the robotics department at the National Museum of Robotics in the UK, lamented that this development speed "exceeds people's expectations", and especially the robotic capabilities are "incredible".
South Korean Chungnam University's Professor of Sports Science, Jung Moon-hyun, also told Reuters that this is "an remarkable technological advancement," indicating that humanoid robots are now capable of sprinting at speeds that are beyond human grasp while maintaining balance.
However, the Guardian also mentioned that there is still significant room for improvement in current humanoid robots. For example, progress in the robot’s 'body' is significantly faster than in the 'brain'. At this stage, specialized robots are the most effective: some are good at running, others are good at boxing, but it is difficult for the same robot to be good at everything.
Industry insiders say that Chinese humanoid robots have become increasingly capable of "running" and "working". What needs to be addressed next is how to get these robots into factories and daily life.
