In a display that was part Olympic spectacle, part slapstick comedy, the iWorld Humanoid Robot Games have just finished, leaving us breathing a sigh of relief that we aren't going to be taken over by robot overlords just yet.
The event was held from the 14th to the 17th of August, and if you TikTok-ing away during that time, you have likely seen some videos of robots stacking it. Actually, scrap that, you would have seen MANY videos of robots stacking it.
From sprints to football, and even kung fu, these robots weren't just showing off their processing power, they were delivering a comedic masterclass.
The competitions were neatly categorised into athletic events, performance showcases, and real-world task simulations. In the athletic arena, humanoids tackled classic Olympic challenges like 100-meter dashes, long-distance races, hurdles, gymnastics, and football.
The 100-meter sprint gold went to Tien Kung Ultra from the Beijing Innovation Centre, who clocked in at a blistering 21.5 seconds. Usain Bolt can rest easy for now.
Robot football was the true crowd-pleaser, though, with its missed passing, questionable goalkeeping and frequent toppling.
The Games weren’t solely about athletic prowess. The performance category saw robots engaging in synchronised dancing, traditional Chinese martial arts, and even a little musical ditty or two.
In a third category, robots were put through their paces in skills such as sorting medications, cleaning surfaces, delivering packages, and performing reception duties.
Given China's grand plan of deploying AI in healthcare, logistics, and elder care, this was a real glimpse into the future.
For now, humans still have the edge (especially when it comes to not falling over), so let's all keep laughing until they can do that, Dave.
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