China's humanoid robots outrun Usain Bolt, show off dexterity
humanoid robots at china's robot games showcased record-breaking speed and dexterity, beating usain bolt's 100m record and performing delicate tasks, signaling progress in practical deployment.
the world humanoid robot games held in beijing from august 22-26, 2026, featured over 600 teams with more than 2000 robots, including humanoid robots from over 100 manufacturers in china and 15 other countries. humanoid robots showcased impressive speed, with tiangong ultra from the beijing humanoid robot innovation center running the 100m dash in 8.86 seconds and lightning from honor running it in 9.47 seconds, both beating usain bolt's world record of 9.58 seconds. these robots also demonstrated dexterity by performing tasks like playing ping pong against an olympic champion, lifting weights, and executing cheerleading routines. the games highlighted advancements in compact, high-power motors and algorithms trained in simulation, enabling robots to maintain dynamic balance at high speeds and perform complex actions. this progress signals a significant step towards practical deployment of humanoid robots in various applications.