Humanoid robot runs 100m in 9.32s, breaking human world record

On August 22, the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games opened at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing. During the sprint event preparation, the robot "Lightning" from Honor team completed a 100m test in 9.32 seconds, with a peak speed of 14.5 m/s, breaking the human world record of 9.58 seconds set by Bolt.

The games feature 50 events, with all but the 100m and 400m hurdles requiring full autonomy. Lightning will compete in the 100m, 400m, and 1500m, testing its visual, decision-making, and algorithm stability.

Lightning, which won the humanoid robot half marathon in April, has been upgraded for the sprint: leg length increased to 1.05m, lightweight structure, and improved joint torque and response. Its tech comes from Honor's phone expertise, like liquid cooling.

Industry experts say embodied AI is moving from demos to real-world use, but faces challenges in adaptation and safety. Honor has set up a humanoid robot division focusing on malls, factories, and homes, exploring commercial paths.