Technology
World Humanoid Robot Games Open in Beijing With Record 2,056 Robots
The second World Humanoid Robot Games opened in Beijing on Saturday, bringing together a record 2,056 robots from 666 teams to compete across sports, ...
By Wavers Multimedia
The competition, which runs until Wednesday, has attracted participants from 16 countries across six continents, according to China Daily.
The opening ceremony was held at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the Ice Ribbon. Humanoid robots took part in a series of demonstrations alongside human performers, highlighting developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.
One of the early highlights was a robot completing the 100-metre race in 9.39 seconds, beating Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record. Another robot recorded a high jump of 2.88 metres, a major improvement on last year’s best mark of 95.64 centimetres.
The ceremony also featured robots performing alongside a human orchestra, dancing with people and demonstrating coordinated movements. Robots additionally took part in table tennis demonstrations involving former tennis player Zheng Jie, Olympic table tennis champion Ding Ning and former footballer Yang Chen.
The event is designed to test humanoid robots in areas extending beyond traditional sporting competitions. Events include emergency rescue, logistics and industrial operations, alongside athletic and other competitive challenges.
Organisers said this year's games represent a significant increase in participation, with the number of teams rising sharply from the inaugural competition.
The competition is also being used as a platform to demonstrate how humanoid robots can move from controlled laboratory environments towards practical applications.
The games will continue in Beijing through August 26, with robots competing in a wide range of events as teams seek to demonstrate advances in movement, coordination, intelligence and physical capability.