The Humanoids at China’s Robot Games Were Faster Than Usain Bolt—but I’m More Impressed by Their Tweezer Mastery
wired ·
The World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing showcased record-breaking feats, including a robot named Tiangong Ultra running the 100-meter dash in 8.86 seconds, beating Usain Bolt's human record, and another robot winning the long jump with a leap of 7.97 meters. However, the author finds more impressive the new challenges that test robots' brains rather than their brawn, such as plugging cables into sockets and picking up beans with tweezers. These manipulation tasks are extremely difficult for robots due to unpredictable factors like friction and slippage, illustrating Moravec's paradox. The article notes that some robot actions were remotely operated by humans, but even under human control, the dexterity is impressive. The games also included tasks like block building and supermarket stocking, reflecting China's interest in automating factory and warehouse work. The author concludes that a bigger purpose of the games is to get the public excited about robotics, with one roboticist lamenting that this enthusiasm is not matched in America.
wired