World's first humanoid robot games launch in Beijing with 500 competitors
Events range from 100-metre hurdles to kung fu, blending traditional sports with practical challenges like medical sorting.
Hundreds of robotics teams aim for gold at the venue originally built for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
'I believe in the next 10 years or so, robots will be basically at the same level as humans,' said 18-year-old spectator Chen Ruiyuan.
Early football matches saw child-sized robots stumbling across the pitch, frequently collapsing in unison.
Unitree's domestic champion robots dominated the 1500-metre race, clocking speeds far below human world records.
One collision between a sprinting robot and its handler left the human knocked over while the machine stayed upright.
Organisers confirm this marks the first global competition exclusively for humanoid-form robots.
China positions robotics as central to its national strategy, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
'The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology,' their report stated.
Schools like that of 10-year-old attendee Cui Han's son are sponsoring educational trips to the event.
China recently announced a one-trillion-yuan fund to boost robotics and AI startups.
The country already leads in industrial robot adoption, hosting a humanoid half-marathon earlier this year.
Spectator Chen, an incoming automation student, praised boxing robots for demonstrating agility improvements.
Kung fu competitors drew laughter when a Transformer-like bot faceplanted during a routine.
The fallen robot spun helplessly as the crowd cheered its struggle to rise. - AFP
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The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
World's first humanoid robot games begin in China
Engineers follow their robots as they compete in the 400M run during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Aug 15, 2025. — AFP BEIJING: The world's first-ever humanoid robot games began on Aug 15 in Beijing, with over 500 androids alternating between jerky tumbles and glimpses of real power as they compete in events from the 100-metre hurdles to kung fu. Hundreds of robotics teams from 16 countries are going for gold at the Chinese capital's National Speed Skating Oval, built for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The games include traditional sports like athletics and basketball, as well as practical tasks such as medicine categorisation and cleaning. "I believe in the next 10 years or so, robots will be basically at the same level as humans," enthusiastic 18-year-old spectator Chen Ruiyuan told AFP. Human athletes might not be quaking in their boots just yet. At one of the first events on Friday morning, five-aside football, 10 robots the size of seven-year-olds shuffled around the pitch, often getting stuck in a scrum or falling over en masse. However, in a 1500-metre race, domestic champion Unitree's humanoids stomped along the track at an impressive clip, easily outpacing their rivals. The fastest robot AFP witnessed finished in 6:29:37, a far cry from the human men's world record of 3:26:00. One mechanical racer barrelled straight into a human operator. The robot remained standing, while the human was knocked flat, though did not appear to be injured. 'National strategy' Robot competitions have been held for decades, but the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games is the first to focus specifically on robots that resemble human bodies, organisers said. The Chinese government has poured support into robotics hoping to lead the industry. Beijing has put humanoids in the "centre of their national strategy", the International Federation of Robotics wrote in a paper on Thursday. "The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology," it added. Authorities are working to raise awareness of the sector across society. Cui Han, accompanying her 10-year-old, told AFP that her son's school had organised and paid for the trip to the Games. "I hope it will encourage him to learn more about these new technologies," she said. In March, China announced plans for a one-trillion-yuan fund to support technology startups, including those in robotics and AI. The country is already the world's largest market for industrial robots, official statistics show, and in April, Beijing held what organisers dubbed the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon. Chen, the spectator, told AFP he was about to begin studying automation at university. "Coming here can cultivate my passion for this field," he said. "My favourite is the boxing, because... it requires a lot of agility and I can really see how the robots have improved from before." Meanwhile, at the kung fu competition area, a pint-sized robot resembling one from the popular Transformer series attempted to execute a move, but fell flat on its front. It spun around on the floor as it struggled to get back up, the crowd happily cheering. – AFP
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
World's first humanoid robot games launch in Beijing with 500 competitors
THE world's first humanoid robot games kicked off at the National Speed Skating Oval, drawing 500 androids from 16 countries. Events range from 100-metre hurdles to kung fu, blending traditional sports with practical challenges like medical sorting. Hundreds of robotics teams aim for gold at the venue originally built for the 2022 Winter Olympics. 'I believe in the next 10 years or so, robots will be basically at the same level as humans,' said 18-year-old spectator Chen Ruiyuan. Early football matches saw child-sized robots stumbling across the pitch, frequently collapsing in unison. Unitree's domestic champion robots dominated the 1500-metre race, clocking speeds far below human world records. One collision between a sprinting robot and its handler left the human knocked over while the machine stayed upright. Organisers confirm this marks the first global competition exclusively for humanoid-form robots. China positions robotics as central to its national strategy, according to the International Federation of Robotics. 'The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology,' their report stated. Schools like that of 10-year-old attendee Cui Han's son are sponsoring educational trips to the event. China recently announced a one-trillion-yuan fund to boost robotics and AI startups. The country already leads in industrial robot adoption, hosting a humanoid half-marathon earlier this year. Spectator Chen, an incoming automation student, praised boxing robots for demonstrating agility improvements. Kung fu competitors drew laughter when a Transformer-like bot faceplanted during a routine. The fallen robot spun helplessly as the crowd cheered its struggle to rise. - AFP
New Straits Times
10 hours ago
- New Straits Times
China's 'robot Olympics' sees humanoids from 16 nations compete in table tennis, football, track
BEIJING: China kicked off a three-day long sports showcase for humanoid robots on Friday, looking to highlight progress in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries competing in the World Humanoid Robot Games. Robots will compete in sports such as football, track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackle robot-specific challenges from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services. Teams come from countries including the United States, Germany, and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises. Robots from Chinese companies including Unitree and Fourier are among those competing. The Beijing municipal government is among the organising bodies for the event, underscoring the emphasis Chinese authorities place on the emerging robotics industry and reflecting the country's broader ambitions in AI and automation. The China's robotics push also comes as the country grapples with an ageing population and slowing economic growth. The sector has received government subsidies exceeding $20 billion over the past year, while Beijing plans to establish a one trillion yuan ($137 billion) fund to support AI and robotics startups. China has staged a series of high-profile robotics events in recent months, including what it called the world's first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing, a robot conference and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots. However, the marathon drew criticism after several robot competitors emitted smoke during the race and some failed to complete the course, raising questions about the current capabilities of the technology. Still, while some may view such competitions and events as publicity stunts, industry experts and participants see them as crucial catalysts for advancing humanoid robots toward practical real-world applications. Morgan Stanley analysts in a report last week noted a surge in attendance to a recent robot conference from the general public compared to previous years, saying this showed "how China, not just top government officials, has embraced the concept of embodied intelligence." "We believe this widespread interest could be instrumental for China's continued leadership in the humanoid race, providing the necessary talent, resources, and customers to boost industry development and long-term adoption," they said. Booster Robotics, whose humanoid robots are being used by a Tsinghua University team in the football competition, views soccer as an effective test of perception, decision-making and control technologies that could later be deployed in factories or homes.
