Robots stumble, crash and backflip at China's wild humanoid Olympics-style games

India Today

2 days ago

China launched a three-day event last week that looked like a cross between the Olympics and a science fair, except the athletes are robots. The World Humanoid Robot Games was held in Beijing, drawing 280 teams from 16 countries eager to showcase the latest in artificial intelligence and robotics. The competition featured robots tackling both traditional sports, such as track and field and table tennis, and tasks more closely tied to real-world applications, from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services. Teams came from the United States, Germany, Brazil and China, with 192 groups representing universities and 88 from private companies, including Chinese robotics firms Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Many teams competed with machines built by local manufacturer Booster Robotics.advertisementSpectators saw plenty of thrills, and spills. In football matches, robots repeatedly clashed, often toppling over in heaps. One match saw four robots collide and collapse together. Races were equally chaotic. During the 1500-metre sprint, a robot suddenly collapsed at full speed, drawing both gasps and cheers from the crowd.Tickets for the event ranged from 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83–$80.77). The stumbles and crashes didn't dampen the enthusiasm of audiences, who often applauded when robots managed to right themselves without human help.
For participants, the games were as much about research as competition. 'We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research,' said Max Polter, a member of HTWK Robots football team from Germany's Leipzig University of Applied Sciences. He explained that the event allows teams to try out new ideas in a practical setting. 'If we try something and it doesn't work, we lose the game. That's sad but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product which failed.'Organisers said the chaotic football matches serve a purpose beyond entertainment. By forcing robots to coordinate, they provide valuable data that could be applied to real-world scenarios, such as factory assembly lines where multiple units need to work in sync. The event also helps developers refine robots' balance, agility and recovery when facing unexpected challenges.China is putting billions of dollars into humanoid robotics as it seeks both to address an ageing population and to stay competitive in the global race for advanced technologies. In recent months, Beijing has hosted a string of high-profile events, from what it called the world's first humanoid robot marathon to dedicated retail stores for humanoid machines.Analysts say the growing public enthusiasm reflects a cultural shift. A recent report by Morgan Stanley noted that attendance at a recent robotics conference had surged compared with previous years. The analysts said this showed 'how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence.'As robots crashed, stumbled and even attempted backflips at the Beijing games, one thing became clear: while they may not yet be Olympic champions, humanoids are becoming a serious part of China's technological future.- EndsMust Watch