Robot competitors are vying for gold in Beijing, China, as the first World Humanoid Robot Games commenced on Thursday. As reported by Reuters, the event taking place at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval includes over 500 humanoid robots from 280 teams spread across 16 nations, such as China, the U.S., Brazil, and Germany. The teams consist of participants from international universities and private robotics companies like China’s Unitree Robotics, Noetix Robotics, and Fourier Intelligence.
Operated from a distance by human crews, the robots will be evaluated on agility and skill in 26 different events, which encompass football, martial arts, gymnastics, and track and field activities such as running and a 100-meter obstacle course. Robots must adhere to an extensive list of requirements, such as being self-created, acquired, or leased by the teams, incorporating a torso, upper limbs, and a pair of feet, along with having their own power sources. Event-specific rules are in place, including a ban on elastic or take-off devices in long jump or high jump contests.
These games build upon several robot sporting events held in China this year, featuring the world’s first humanoid half-marathon in April and a robot kickboxing showdown in May. Unitree claimed the first gold medal on Friday, with its Unitree H1 humanoid robot completing the 1,500-meter race in a time of 6:34.
Media outlets such as Reuters and the South China Morning Post are broadcasting the World Humanoid Robot Games live, which last until Sunday, with tickets accessible to the public. The event highlights human teams racing alongside their robotic partners, as robot football players celebrate their wins, all without breaking a sweat.
The opening ceremony on Thursday showcased a robot band, miniature robots dancing with human children, a robot fashion show, and panda robots exhibiting martial arts. Organizers, including the Beijing Municipal People’s Government and the World Robotics Cooperation Organization, announced that the event aims to merge technological competition, economic advancement, and global exchange.
The World Humanoid Robot Games offer a worldwide PR chance for China amid its swift expansion in robot production to rival the U.S. China’s National Development and Reform Commission unveiled intentions to invest ¥1 trillion ($138 billion) in robotics over the forthcoming two decades. The country boosted industrial robot installation by five percent in 2024 and currently possesses the world’s largest robot market.