Robots can outrun humans, but can they plug in a cable?


Robots can outrun humans, but can they plug in a cable? <br> China&#39;s humanoid&nbsp;robots&nbsp;have shown they&nbsp;can&nbsp;run quicker than the fastest&nbsp;humans. Now comes the real test:&nbsp;can&nbsp;they also handle packaging and warehouse operations while reliably performing precision tasks like connecting cables designed to evaluate their ability to work like&nbsp;humans&nbsp;in less flashy jobs? The five-day World Humanoid Robot Games, which began Saturday in Beijing, combine events modelled on human sports with those designed to test the&nbsp;robots&nbsp;in simulated factories, restaurants, offices and in emergency situations. The games, heavily promoted in Chinese state media, feature 51 events, including 30 sports competitions and 21 scenario-based contests. More than 40% require&nbsp;robots&nbsp;to operate fully autonomously, according to Huawei, a tech partner of the games. On Saturday, two&nbsp;robots&nbsp;ran faster than Usain Bolt&#39;s 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter sprint. That was a sharp improvement from 2025, when the winning robot&#39;s time was more than 20 seconds. Braking was an issue, as the machines slammed into a thick mat that organisers placed several metres after the finish line. Read:&nbsp;From science fair to strategic showcase: a decade of China&rsquo;s robot games Another humanoid, the same model as the 100-metre&nbsp;champion, ran 400 metres in 39.7 seconds, faster than South African&nbsp;Wayde van Niekerk&#39;s world record of 43.03 seconds. &quot;The intensity is higher than last year, which places significant demands on the robot&#39;s battery management and thermal dissipation capabilities,&quot; said spectator and robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng. &quot;It holds huge significance for the development of China&#39;s industrial sector.&quot; Robots&nbsp;will compete in tug-of-war and weightlifting, while Tai Chi and pitch-pot - in which contestants throw arrow-like sticks into a narrow-necked vase - will give traditional Chinese sports a futuristic twist. Big tests in small imperfections Beyond the spectacle, the more revealing tests could come when&nbsp;robots&nbsp;encounter the small imperfections of the physical world: a cable at the wrong angle, an object just out of reach, a shifting package or a missed step. That tests whether&nbsp;robots&nbsp;can&nbsp;identify objects, accurately position their hands and bodies, apply controlled force and recover from errors without human intervention. Lumos Robotics Chief Executive Yu Chao said the games could help improve hardware and provide a showcase for the industry. But Yu said the longer-term value will depend on real-world problem solving. &quot;Only when it&nbsp;can&nbsp;work in those end scenarios does it have real value,&quot; Yu said. &quot;Simply running and jumping does not improve efficiency.&quot; Read More:&nbsp;China robot makers seek to turn humanoid hype into useful work In addition to more familiar events drawn from human sports,&nbsp;robots&nbsp;will compete in EV charging, restaurant work, emergency incident handling and hand-dexterity contests. There are also industrial assembly and material loading events. A cable connection challenge is a test of vision, mechanical alignment and force control. Beijing-based robotics startup Galbot said it would stage an autonomous humanoid tennis match, with&nbsp;robots&nbsp;attempting singles and doubles play, including ball tracking, serving and returning shots. For Hua Rong, chief marketing officer at robotics firm Zeroth, the real test will come after the demonstrations end. &quot;The competition will be whether, after the product is sold, it&nbsp;can&nbsp;really solve users&#39; problems,&quot; she said. <br> <img src="https://tribune.com.pk/story/2625389/robots-can-outrun-humans-but-can-they-plug-in-a-cable" alt=" Robots can outrun humans, but can they plug in a cable?" width="100%">

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