In the latest episode of What the Future, we run down the best highlights and fails from the first World Humanoid Robot Games held last week in China.
Jesse Orrall Senior Video Producer
Jesse Orrall (he/him/his) is a Senior Video Producer for CNET. He covers future tech, sustainability and the social impact of technology. He is co-host of CNET’s “What The Future” series and Executive Producer of “Experts React.” Aside from making videos, he’s a certified SCUBA diver with a passion for music, films, history and ecology.
Expertise Future tech, sustainability, and social impact of technology Credentials
- Gold Telly Award, 2X Silver Telly Award
China hosted the first World Humanoid Robot Games last week, featuring events like kickboxing, soccer, and track and field as well as real-world tasks like cleaning and climbing stairs.
There were plenty of robotic triumphs, including China’s own Unitree, which took home the most medals, including four Golds in track and field events.
There were also plenty of robot fails, including brutal knockouts in kickboxing, flops on the race track and painful pile-ups on the soccer field where robots fell over one another like dominos.
Robot kickboxing at the first World Humanoid Robot Games.
Getty ImagesThe humans at the games appeared to be working at least as hard if not harder than the robots. Whenever a robotic competitor fell down, people would rush to clear them from the field so they wouldn’t pose a risk to the other players.Â
To see our full breakdown of China’s first robot olympiad, check out the video in this article.
