A Chinese humanoid robot ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds in a preliminary heat at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, faster than the men's world record held by Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter.
Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its heat at the opening of the games' second edition, organizers said.
The robot overtook Lightning, from smartphone maker Honor, near the finish after falling behind early in the race. Lightning finished in 9.47 seconds, also faster than the 9.58-second record Bolt set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
The two robots lacked Bolt's flair, slamming into a thick mat. Tiangong stumbled wildly into the sidelines, forcing onlookers to move. Lightning collapsed to the ground and was then carried away on a stretcher.
The results nevertheless marked a sharp improvement from last year's inaugural games, when Tiangong Ultra won the 100 meters in 21.50 seconds. Tiangong also won the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon, held in Beijing last year.
