BEIJING – A historic moment in robotics unfolded on Friday as Beijing hosted the world’s first humanoid robot games, where more than 500 androids from 16 countries showcased both clumsy stumbles and flashes of brilliance.
The event, held at the National Speed Skating Oval, originally built for the 2022 Winter Olympics, features not only traditional sports like hurdles, basketball, and football but also real-world challenges such as medicine categorisation and cleaning tasks.
In the opening football match, robots the size of seven-year-olds shuffled around the pitch, often collapsing in groups, while others impressed with endurance. Domestic champion Unitree’s humanoid runners stole the spotlight in the 1,500m race, stomping past rivals with ease. One finished in 6 minutes 29 seconds, far slower than humans but a leap forward for robotics.
The games reflect China’s ambition to lead the global robotics and AI industry. The government has declared humanoids a key part of its national strategy, backed by a one-trillion-yuan fund for tech startups announced earlier this year.
Spectators, many schoolchildren brought by their institutions, were left inspired. “In the next 10 years, robots will be basically at the same level as humans,” said 18-year-old Chen Ruiyuan, who plans to study automation.
While some robots fell flat during kung fu moves, others managed to show agility, much to the delight of cheering crowds. With such rapid progress, experts say humanoid robots may soon transform from novelties into practical, everyday assistants.
