On Saturday evening, the second World Humanoid Robot Games were officially inaugurated in Beijing, transforming the Chinese capital into one of the world's leading centers for robotics. The five-day event, held at the National Speed Skating Oval, combines sporting competitions with demonstrations of the latest technologies.
This year's edition features 666 teams from 16 countries and six continents. A total of 2056 robots will compete in 51 disciplines. The opening ceremony itself, themed "Intelligence Competing Towards the Future," showcased over a thousand humanoid robots, demonstrating how quickly these technologies are moving from laboratories into real-world applications.
One of the highlights was the ceremonial parade of robotic teams. Eighty Booster T2 humanoid robots marched in synchronized formation, with each machine independently calculating its route and continuously adjusting its posture. During the performance, the robots changed formations to create the word "BEIJING."
Following them were 50 Tiangong Embodied Intelligence 3.0 robots from the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. These robots autonomously navigated a curved track and also performed a challenging gymnastics move, the Thomas flare.
The next segment of the parade featured 25 Galbot G1 wheeled robots from Galaxy General. These machines are designed for long-term and complex tasks in real-world environments, such as homes, retail stores, or restaurants.
Robots Break Sporting Performance Records
One of the most anticipated moments was the attempt by a humanoid robot to break the standing high jump record. The machine cleared a height of 2.88 meters. This demonstration took place before the official opening ceremony and, according to organizers, surpassed the best recorded human performance in the standing high jump, which is 2.45 meters.
Another Chinese humanoid robot also delivered a remarkable performance in the sprint. In the 100-meter dash, it achieved a time of 9.39 seconds, faster than Usain Bolt's world record of 9.58 seconds. This also broke the previous record from the first World Humanoid Robot Games.
These performances are intended to showcase advancements in the design of movement systems, balance, reaction speed, and control of humanoid machines.
Robots Play Music and Sport with Stars
The opening ceremony was not just about sports. In the "Melodies of the Future" segment, 36 humanoid robots equipped with five-fingered robotic hands performed alongside human musicians, playing electronic wind instruments, pianos, and marimbas.
A key theme was the collaboration between humans and robots. Humanoid machines exchanged volleys with Chinese tennis star Zheng Jie, played table tennis with Olympic champion Ding Ning, and participated in a penalty shootout with former Chinese footballer Yang Chen.
The organizers aimed to demonstrate the ability of robots to coordinate perception of their surroundings, decision-making, and movement of arms and legs in dynamic situations.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games are not just a technological showcase. Beijing is also using them as a platform to test the capabilities of machines that are increasingly being used in manufacturing, services, and everyday life.
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