Chinese humanoid robot ‘Lightning’ beats human 100m world record - NBC News
The robot, dubbed Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second during a preparatory test event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on Saturday.
Key takeaways
- The most recent headlines on humanoid robots show a surge of activity across several regions.
- In Kazakhstan, officials announced the construction of a full‑cycle humanoid‑robot factory, with AgiBot and the local QAZBOT team demonstrating robots that can dance, perform martial‑arts moves and interact with humans as part of a drive to build a domestic robotics and AI industry.
- In China, the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing have become an annual showcase; this year’s opening featured the “Lightning” robot from Honor running 100 m in 9.32 seconds—faster than Usain Bolt’s 9.58‑second record—and a standing high‑jump of 2.88 m, both eclipsing human marks.
- The same event highlighted over 2,000 humanoids competing in races, table‑tennis, soccer and other tasks, underscoring China’s rapid progress despite new U.S. import bans on foreign‑made humanoids.
- Meanwhile, Chinese firm Unitree Robotics celebrated a blockbuster Shanghai IPO, its shares closing more than 460 % above the offering price, and its founder warned that a “ChatGPT moment” for humanoid robots could still be a decade away because the machines still struggle with task generalisation and precise movement.
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The robot, dubbed Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second during a preparatory test event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on Saturday.
The performance surpassed the 9.58-second men’s 100-metre world record set by Bolt at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.
China has been promoting humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with policymakers and companies betting that advances in AI and hardware will accelerate their deployment in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications.
Lightning also won the 21-km Beijing half marathon in April in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, faster than the elite men’s human world-record pace. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
Chinese humanoid robot ‘Lightning’ beats human 100m world record in test run
The 9.32 second performance beat the time set by Usain Bolt.
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/ Source: Reuters
By Reuters
A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor ran 100 meters in 9.32 seconds, China’s state broadcaster reported on Saturday, beating the human world record held by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt. The robot stood 169 cm tall and had 95-cm legs at the half marathon. Researchers have since lengthened its legs by 10 cm to 1.05 meters ahead of the World Humanoid Robot Games, China Central Television reported.
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