Is It Faster Than a Speeding Bolt?
It seems like robots are gearing up to shake things up in the job market, and they might even outpace our top athletes soon. Chinese robotics firm Unitree has introduced what they call a superhumanoid robot, which they suggest could leave Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest sprinter, in the dust.
This impressive creation, nicknamed “Superman,” has been showcased in a video that’s racked up around 950,000 views so far.
The robot was designed in just three months and has reportedly shattered “human records” globally. It boasts the ability to jump over 2 meters (6.56 feet) and has hit a top speed of 12.66 meters per second (28.3 mph), according to claims from Unitree.
This speed, it appears, exceeds Bolt’s best of 12.2 meters per second (which is just over 37 miles per hour), set back in 2009 when he broke his 100-meter dash record.
Interestingly, the robot is said to be standing upright, which brings to mind the impressive leap made by Christopher Spell from Shrub Oak, New York, in 2021.
The demonstrations highlight that Superman might just transcend what we thought were the limits of human athleticism.
However, it is worth noting that these claims have yet to be verified, although Unitree insists there’s “significant scope for further improvements” in the near future.
Regardless, this showcase is likely to steal some attention with the robot’s debut coinciding with the STAR Market event in Shanghai on Wednesday. The company recently secured over $904 million in an initial public offering, marking its position as mainland China’s first publicly listed general-purpose robot company.
This aligns with the upcoming 2026 World Robotics Congress, set to take place from August 19 to August 23, where tech enthusiasts from around the globe will gather to discuss innovations in the field.
Soon, the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games will kick off on August 22. Unitree had a strong showing last year, walking away with four gold medals in various events, including the 400-meter dash and 4×100-meter relay.
As Superman prepares for its debut in this year’s games, there’s curiosity about whether it can deliver a performance reminiscent of Usain Bolt.
That said, Unitree’s advancements are not without controversy. Some specialists express concerns over how the capabilities of these robots might outstrip safety measures.
Earlier this year, there were unsettling incidents involving Unitree robots, including one striking a child during a demonstration, raising alarms about potential malfunctions during critical tasks, like caregiving or patient treatment.
Dr. Roman Yampolsky, a computer scientist at the University of Louisville, remarked that “failures in dancing robots are often embarrassing. However, failures in security robots, delivery systems, self-driving platforms, and medical assistants could be much more serious, potentially injuring individuals and causing larger-scale failures.”
