Kevin Frayer/Getty Images (boxing); Zhang Xiangyi/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images (track)

Robots Go for the Gold

More than 500 athletes recently competed at an Olympic-style event. They ran, boxed, played soccer, and more. But the athletes never got tired or broke a sweat. That’s because they’re robots!

The first World Humanoid Robot Games took place in Beijing, China, over the summer. Humanoid robots are designed to look and move like people. 

A total of 280 teams from 16 countries entered robo-athletes in the Games. Chinese company Unitree Robotics took home 11 medals, the most of any team. 

But the event wasn’t just about winning or losing. The main goal was to highlight advancements in robotics. Some robots showed off non-sports skills, like playing musical instruments.

“It’s almost like a talent show for all the robots,” says robotics expert Sooyeon Jeong. 

Let the Robot Games Begin
Let the Robot Games Begin!

A Long Way to Go

Still, the Games showed that robots won’t be ready to challenge human athletes anytime soon. The robots face-planted—a lot. Soccer-playing robots tripped over each other and the ball. Other robots overheated and had to be fanned down by their human handlers. 

“There are so many things that humans, even babies, can do naturally that are very difficult for robots,” explains Jeong. 

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