World's first robot OLYMPICS get off to a rocky start: Humanoids from 16 nations crash and collapse as they attempt to compete in boxing, athletics, and football

Daily Mail​

a day ago

It sounds like an event from the latest science fiction blockbuster.
But the world's first robot Olympics have officially kicked off in China this week.
The three–day event, called the World Humanoid Robot Games, will see humanoid robots from 16 countries compete across a range of events.
The AI bots will go head–to–head in sports such as football, track and field, boxing, and table tennis.
They'll also tackle robot–specific challenges – from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services.
However, human athletes can rest easy for now.
At one of the first events – 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.
Meanwhile, over in the athletics, one mechanical racer barrelled straight into a human operator, who was dramatically knocked to the ground.
At one of the first events, 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
The teams come from countries including the United States, Germany, and Brazil, with 192 representing universities and 88 from private enterprises.
The games began in Beijing today, with over 500 androids alternating between jerky tumbles and glimpses of real power as they competed in events from the 100–metre hurdles to kung fu.
'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, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences.
'You can test a lot of interesting new and exciting approaches in this contest.
'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.'
In a 1,500–metre race, domestic champion Unitree's humanoids stomped along the track at an impressive clip, easily outpacing their rivals.
The fastest robot, witnessed by AFP, finished in 6:29:37.
However, it's worth pointing out that this is a far cry from the human men's world record of 3:26:00.
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.
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.
'Playing football is a testing and training ground for helping us refine our capabilities,' said Zhao Mingguo, Chief Scientist at Booster Robotics.
WHO IS SOPHIA THE ROBOT?
Sophia first emerged in 2016 as a super-intelligent human-like head with a realistic face that was able to blink, look from side to side and talk.
The humanoid robot, created by Hong Kong firm Hanson robotics, can chat, smile mischievously and even tell jokes.
The robot made history in October 2017 when she became legal a citizen of Saudi Arabia.
The stunt made Sophia the world's first robot to be granted legal citizenship.
While Sophia has some impressive capabilities, she does not yet have consciousness.
Hanson Robotics claims fully sentient machines could emerge within a few years.
Sophia herself has insisted 'the pros outweigh the cons' when it comes to artificial intelligence.
'Elders will have more company, autistic children will have endlessly patient teachers,' Sophia said.