China's Humanoid Robots Now Compete in Sports and Handle Chores

China is rapidly expanding the use of humanoid robots, with machines now being tested for sports, household chores, industrial work and everyday services. At the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, robots are competing in athletics, football, boxing, tennis and table tennis, while demonstrations at the World Robot Conference have shown machines sorting boxes, handling laundry and packing clothes. The developments highlight China's growing ambition to bring humanoid robots beyond controlled laboratory and factory environments.

The second World Humanoid Robot Games features 666 teams and 2,056 humanoid robots competing across 51 events and 1,301 competitions. The contests cover athletics, football, weightlifting, tug-of-war and table tennis, along with tasks linked to industrial, hotel, logistics and household work. The event is designed to test how effectively robots can move, respond to changing situations and complete practical tasks. Some machines, however, have struggled during competitions, with robots falling during races and football matches and requiring assistance from staff.

One of the most striking demonstrations came in the 100-metre race, where the humanoid robot Tien Kung Ultra reportedly completed the event in 9.39 seconds. That was faster than Usain Bolt's men's world record of 9.58 seconds, although comparisons between robots and human athletes are not directly equivalent. Another Tian Gong robot completed the 400-metre large-robot race in 38.15 seconds, improving dramatically from its reported 88.03-second performance at the previous event. Robots have also been tested in tennis, where one humanoid tracked the ball, moved around the court and returned shots against human players.

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China's experiments are not limited to sporting events. At the World Robot Conference, humanoid robots have been demonstrated performing household and workplace tasks such as handling laundry, sorting objects and packing clothes. A separate robot-operated coffee shop in Beijing has also attracted attention after reportedly serving 202 cups of coffee in an hour. These demonstrations are aimed at showing how humanoid machines could eventually assist with repetitive tasks in homes, businesses and other everyday environments.

Despite the rapid progress, significant challenges remain before humanoid robots can become common household assistants. Battery life is a major limitation because movement requires substantial power, while running advanced artificial intelligence directly on a robot can increase energy consumption further. Some developers are therefore using cloud computing to process AI tasks, making reliable network connectivity important. More robots at this year's games are also equipped with 5G-Advanced technology to exchange sensor information with external AI systems and receive instructions.

China's advances in humanoid robotics are also attracting international attention, particularly in the United States, where concerns have been raised over the security implications of Chinese-made robots. Beijing has rejected accusations linking its robotics companies to military activity. Meanwhile, the increasing capabilities demonstrated by Chinese humanoids suggest that the technology is moving beyond simple demonstrations. Whether these machines can become affordable, reliable and capable enough for widespread everyday use will determine how quickly the emerging robotic ecosystem becomes part of ordinary life.

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