World Humanoid Robot Games Launched in Beijing
BEIJING – On Friday, China kicked off the World Humanoid Robot Games, a three-day event designed to display its advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence, featuring 280 teams from 16 different countries.
Competitions included a range of sports, such as track and field, and table tennis, along with unique challenges tailored for robots, like sorting medications and various cleaning tasks.
Participating teams came from nations like the United States, Germany, and Brazil. The roster included 192 university teams and 88 from private companies, such as China’s Unitree and Fourier Intelligence. Notably, competing robots were sourced from Chinese manufacturers including Booster Robotics.
“We’re here to have fun and hopefully win,” shared Max Polter from the HTWK Robots football team, representing Leipzig University of Applied Sciences in Germany. “But, honestly, we’re also focused on research.”
He added, “This contest lets us test new ideas. If something flops, we lose, sure. But it’s better than pouring funds into a failing product.”
At the games in Beijing, which charged ticket prices ranging from 128 to 580 yuan ($17.83-$80.77), humanoid robots often collided and stumbled during football games, with some even in full sprint collapsing unexpectedly, prompting gasps and cheers from the crowd.
One football match saw four robots crash into each other in a chaotic pile-up. In the 1500-meter race, one participant fell dramatically while sprinting, causing an audible reaction from spectators.
Despite some needing a helping hand to stand back up after falling, many robots managed to get back on their feet unassisted, which drew applause from the audience.
Organizers noted that the games served as critical opportunities for data collection, aiding the development of robots for practical applications—like factory work. Football matches, for instance, enhance robots’ coordination skills, useful for teamwork in assembly line environments.
With an aging population and intensified competition with the U.S. in tech innovations, China is pouring billions into humanoid and robotic technology. Recent months have seen multiple high-profile robotics events, including what was labeled the world’s first humanoid robot marathon, a robot conference, and the opening of stores dedicated to selling humanoid robots.
A report from Morgan Stanley pointed out a noticeable increase in public attendance at a recent robot conference compared to previous years, suggesting a growing interest in the concept of embodied intelligence beyond just government circles.
($1 = 7.1805 Chinese yuan renminbi)
