Chinese humanoid robot SMASHES Usain Bolt’s 100m world record

A Chinese humanoid robot has reportedly run the 100-meter dash in 9.32 seconds, beating Usain Bolt’s longstanding human world record in a demonstration at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

The robot, named Lightning and developed by Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor, reached a reported top speed of 14.5 meters per second during the event, reports The Guardian. Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds was set in Berlin in 2009.

Lightning’s performance came as more than 2,000 humanoid robots gathered for the five-day competition, which features more than 1,000 contests across 51 events, including running, football and table tennis.

The robot has already made headlines in China. Lightning won the Beijing half marathon in April in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, a time that was faster than the human men’s world record. Researchers subsequently extended its legs by 10 centimeters ahead of the robot games.

Another robot also reportedly surpassed a human record during the competition, clearing 2.88 meters in the standing high jump. That was well above the 2.45-meter human record set by Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor in 1993. Both the robot and the machine from last year’s competition were developed by Beijing-based X-Humanoid.

The games opened at the National Speed Skating Oval, a venue built for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The event coincided with Beijing’s World Robot Conference, where companies displayed roughly 3,000 products, including humanoid robots.

China has made humanoid robotics a major area of development as it competes with the United States in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. Policymakers and companies are targeting potential uses in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications.

Despite the rapid advances, humanoid robots remain primarily limited to demonstrations, research and performances, with experts saying widespread practical deployment will take time.

The US has also moved to restrict Chinese robotics technology. Last month, the Federal Communications Commission announced restrictions on imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, citing national security concerns. The Pentagon has separately added Chinese robotics company Unitree to a list of companies it says have ties to China's military.