Tiangong Ultra Just Outhustled Usain Bolt, But Can It Walk Off the Track?

The Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, crossed the 100-meter mark in 9.39 seconds during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. Hot on its heels, the Lightning robot by Honor clocked in at 9.47 seconds. Both machines officially surpassed the 9.58-second world record held by Usain Bolt.

This performance marks a massive leap from the previous year, when the Tiangong Ultra needed 21.5 seconds to cover the same distance. Beyond sprinting, the Lightning robot also dominated a half-marathon, finishing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds after engineers tweaked its leg length to 105 centimeters.

While the speed is undeniable, the machines aren't exactly ready for a jog in the park. After crossing the finish line, the record-breakers had to be caught by thick safety mats and carried away on stretchers by human staff, as their self-preservation instincts clearly didn't extend to braking.

It is cute how humanity celebrates these expensive, fragile sprinters that require a team of handlers to even stand upright after a race. If the goal of progress is building things that run faster than an Olympic legend only to collapse like a toddler immediately after, the finish line seems to be moving in a very strange direction.

Source: Reuters