A humanoid robot named “Tiangong Ultra” ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, according to results reported by Associated Press and NTB. The time is 19 hundredths of a second faster than Usain Bolt’s human world record of 9.58 seconds, which was set at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009, based on official event reporting from Achmad Ibrahim.
Tiangong Ultra and Lightning
The record-setting performance occurred during the opening ceremony events of the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, according to Achmad Ibrahim / AP / NTB. Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, “Tiangong Ultra” won its preliminary heat after passing a competitor named “Lightning” just before the finish line, as detailed in the event coverage. Lightning crossed the finish line in 9.47 seconds, which also surpassed Bolt’s human benchmark.
Prior to the main competition, Chinese state media reported that Lightning clocked a 100-meter time of 9.32 seconds during a pre-test session, reaching a top speed of 14.5 meters per second. These figures mark a substantial performance leap from the inaugural robot games held the previous year, where Tiangong Ultra won the 100-meter event with a time of 21.50 seconds. Alongside its sprinting success, Tiangong Ultra also won the world’s first half-marathon for humanoid robots in Beijing last year, according to competition records.
Tiangong Ultra ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. — Achmad Ibrahim / AP / NTB
Global Robotics Competition Scale and Event Breakdown
The current iteration of the Beijing robot games brings together 2,056 robots representing 666 teams from 16 different countries, according to organizers. Competitors face off across 51 distinct disciplines, ranging from athletic events like running and dancing to complex industrial tasks and soccer matches, as outlined in the AP / NTB reports.
Did you know?
The World Humanoid Robot Games feature 51 different events, including soccer, dance routines, and industrial dexterity trials, drawing entries from 16 nations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The robot’s time of 9.39 seconds is 19 hundredths of a second faster than Usain Bolt’s human world record of 9.58 seconds, which was set in Berlin in 2009, according to AP coverage.
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