Robot Named Lightning Beats Usain Bolt's Time at Beijing Humanoid Games

The second World Humanoid Robot Games opened on August 21 at Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval, bringing together 666 teams and 2,056 humanoid robots for a five-day event. The programme included 30 competitive events, from sprinting to boxing, alongside nearly as many demonstration showcases.

The biggest result so far came from a humanoid named Lightning, built by phone maker Honor, which beat Usain Bolt's world-record time in the 100-metre sprint, crossing the finish line in 9.32 seconds. Bolt's human record of 9.58 seconds, set 17 years ago, remains unbeaten by any human athlete. In April, Honor's humanoids had already won the Beijing robot half-marathon, recognised there for both speed and for having the best gait and design.

Shanghai-based MirrorMe Technology brought its humanoid "Bolt" to the games, a 175-centimetre, 75-kilogram sprinter capable of reaching speeds of 11 metres per second, slower than Lightning. Jin Yongbin, MirrorMe's chief technology officer, told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that the robot's motors, batteries, electric drives and transmission systems draw on the existing automotive industry's supply chain. Jin added that reaching high speed involves engineering limits such as intensity, toughness, strength and fluidity, achieved partly by studying the biological motion mechanisms behind movement. He said events such as the games let engineers from different companies compare notes, evaluate rival technologies and refine the wider robotics supply chain.

Companies including Unitree and UBtech are among the hundreds of teams competing at this year's games. In 2024, an industry initiative was launched to facilitate data sharing between humanoid robotics startups and companies, part of a wider push to accelerate the technology's development.