China’s humanoid robotic firms are looking to KO the competition, and what they learn in the ring looks to advance the robotics industry by leaps and bounds
They dance, they run, they punch – but they never break a sweat or flinch in pain.
China’s humanoid robots are increasingly entering human arenas, participating in real-world sports competitions that expose them to unpredictable, complex environments – and, as analysts note, generate valuable data to advance their development.
On Sunday, the world’s first kickboxing contest featuring humanoid robots kicked off in the eastern city of Hangzhou. Four Unitree G1 robots – donning helmets and boxing gloves to resemble human fighters – unleashed a volley of blows with speed and precision, skilfully executing moves like roundhouse kicks and elbow strikes.
The contest came a month after humanoid robots participated in a marathon in Beijing, where robots could be seen running with the form of a human athlete, swinging their arms rhythmically and maintaining a quick, short-stride cadence.
