BEIJING - Chinese robots beat the human records in the 100-meter and 400-meter races at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, which opened Saturday for a five-day run, showcasing rapid advances in artificial intelligence-driven robotics technology.
The Tien Kung Ultra robot developed by Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics Co. finished the 100-meter preliminary heat Saturday in 9.32 seconds, beating the 9.58-second world record set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt in Berlin in 2009. After finishing the race, the machine crashed into a mat set up for deceleration and caught fire.
The same humanoid model clocked 38.15 seconds in the 400-meter final Sunday, faster than the 43.03-second world record logged by South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Over 2,000 humanoid robots, fielded by more than 660 teams from 16 countries, are participating in the event. The inaugural games in the Chinese capital last August saw the participation of 280 teams, with the 100-meter sprint won in 20.50 seconds and the 400-meter race in 1 minute 28.03 seconds.
Around 90 percent of the teams are from China, with Brazil, Germany and the United States also represented.
The entrant of Japan's GMO Internet Group, developed by China's Unitree Robotics, participated in track and field races, including the 400 meter for small-size robots, but the machine failed to win in the category.
In one preliminary competition, it made it through the finish line in over 1 minute and 55 seconds, but collapsed shortly afterward and was carried away on a stretcher.
Shota Takizawa, a GMO senior research engineer, later told reporters the company "does not aim to develop robots specialized in races, but plans to utilize know-how" obtained through the competitions for practical use in the future.
The games being held at the National Speed Skating Oval, a venue for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, not only include sports, such as football, boxing, table tennis, weightlifting and tug-of-war, but also scenario-based events showcasing real-world applications in retail, catering and office services.
The opening day featured an exhibition football match as well as demonstrations of other sports including tennis and table tennis in which humans played against robots.
Beijing hosted a half marathon featuring humanoid robots and amateur runners in April. The winning robot broke the human world record, finishing in 50 minutes, 26 seconds.
