At the World Humanoid Robot Games, the TianGong Ultra robot completed a 100-meter sprint in 8.64 seconds — almost a full second faster than Usain Bolt’s world record. The robot wasn’t originally designed solely for racing; it began as an experiment to push the boundaries of humanoid movement. Engineers trained three running strategies in simulation, and in each race, the robot used a different motion-control program to continuously adjust its joints and balance while sprinting upright without direct operator control. The team made adjustments between races, shaving time from the starting response and improving late acceleration. Immediate challenges for future versions include improving braking capabilities and stability at high speeds.
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