Faster Than Bolt at '9.39 Seconds'… Chinese Robots Take on New Challenges

[Anchor]

The second World Humanoid Robot Games is underway in China. Beyond the flashy spectacles, it serves as a testing ground to gauge their versatility.

SBS correspondent Choi Go-un visited the scene in Beijing.

[Reporter]

After an opening ceremony where robots waved the competition flag and marched in formation, the official events began.

Although a bit clumsy, robots returned table tennis balls to opponents' courts, and an increasing number of track robots ran fast and completely autonomously.

In this year's preliminary rounds, a robot ran the 100-meter dash in 9.39 seconds, surpassing the world record of track legend Usain Bolt, showing significantly improved performance.

[400-Meter Running Team 'Tiangong': We upgraded the joints and electrical systems considerably. We also adjusted the algorithms to make them suitable for explosive power during high-speed racing.]

[Yu Mo / Age 6: I was watching events like kickboxing, soccer, and running. I've already watched several times and it's really fun.]

The scale of this year's competition has grown compared to last year.

Some 2,050 robots—a fourfold increase—are competing across 51 events.

A large number of events requiring dexterity have been added, ranging from everyday tasks like cleaning and organizing books to weighing powder and opening bottle caps.

It is a way to gauge whether robots are moving close enough to commercialization to replace humans in actual factories or homes.

[Gong Xiao / Deputy Director, China Software Testing Center: We are transferring 20 grams of powder with a margin of error of plus or minus 0.5 grams. We focus on evaluating agility and precise manipulation capabilities similar to human fingers.]

Of course, they still fall short of humans, as some fall down due to failing to control speed or move awkwardly, but forecasts suggest the robotics industry will experience explosive growth within the next 10 years.

[Wang Xingxing / CEO of Unitree: Over the next 10 years, as AI develops explosively and draws the world's attention, the evolution speed of robots will accelerate significantly.]

Beyond speed and precision, whether they can make autonomous decisions and work in unpredictable situations is expected to become the true competitive edge for humanoids.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video footage captured by Yang A-ta | Video edited by Kim Ho-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.