A Chinese Robot Beat Usain Bolt's 100-Meter Record. ...

High-profile feats of robotic athleticism have become increasingly common in China, where a humanoid robotics industry has flourished, aided by generous state support and billions in investment. Robots have danced and performed martial arts at the country’s top events.

At the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing over the weekend, they boxed and participated in soccer matches. One played tennis against a human opponent, moving across the court and angling itself to return volleys. Earlier this year, a robot ran a marathon faster than any human in history.

But what do these robotic superhuman feats amount to? Chinese Robot Beats Usain Bolt’s 100-Meter Record

A humanoid robot beat Usain Bolt’s 100-meter dash record at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. It ended up running into a wall to stop and was carried away on a stretcher.CreditCredit...Achmad Ibrahim/Associated Press

Yan Zhuang

By Yan Zhuang

In 2009, Usain Bolt set the men’s 100-meter dash world record of 9.58 seconds at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin. On Saturday, a humanoid robot developed by the Chinese company X-Humanoid beat that record by 0.19 seconds, according to Chinese state media. The robot ended its sprint by slamming full speed into a padded wall, falling down and being carried away by human assistants. Skip to contentSkip to site index

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Asia Pacific|A Chinese Robot Beat Usain Bolt’s 100-Meter Record. Should We Be Impressed?

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A Chinese Robot Beat Usain Bolt’s 100-Meter Record. Should We Be Impressed?

China’s humanoid robots are achieving superhuman feats of athleticism. But how that translates into the real world is still an open question, experts said.

Chinese Robot Beats Usain Bolt’s 100-Meter Record