Wrong direction: Robot runs faster than Bolt, but crashed on the track | Watch
A new humanoid robot stunned the world by presenting data that surpasses the fastest runner in history. However, engineering is one thing and reality is another: the advanced model could only fly forward on the track - and the result was painful.
Usain Bolt, (almost) move over: The Chinese robotics company Unitree recently unveiled a new humanoid robot model with superhuman capabilities, known as "Superman," which it claims is capable of defeating even the greatest runner in the history of athletics in a race — at least for part of the distance.
The data presented by the company sounds imaginary: The robotic "Superman," developed in just three months, is capable, according to them, of reaching a top speed of about 45.5 km/h (12.66 meters per second).
This is a figure that exceeds Bolt's historical speed record (about 44 km/h), which was set during his famous 100-meter run in 2009 (where he set the world record of 9.58 seconds). In addition, the machine is capable of jumping to a vertical height (from a standing position upwards) of about 2 meters — a figure that easily breaks the human world record.
However, alongside the impressive data, the reality on the ground proved that the road to robotic takeover of the athletics track is still long. In a video that circulated on social media and garnered hundreds of thousands of views, the robot is seen running on the track at a dizzying speed — but is capable of moving in a straight line only. In the absence of a suitable turning or braking mechanism, the impressive run ended within a few seconds in a spectacular crash into an electrical cabinet.
Between a spectacular show and a safety hazard
The embarrassing incident did not prevent Unitree from continuing to make headlines. The company took center stage ahead of its IPO on the STAR Market in Shanghai, where it raised over 904 million dollars, becoming the first public company in China for general-purpose robots.
The unveiling comes at a precise time, coinciding with the opening of the World Robot Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games. Last year, the company won four gold medals in the 400-meter, 1,500-meter, hurdles, and relay races.
However, alongside the enthusiasm for the athletic performance, many experts express deep concern that the rapid pace of development compromises safety. This is not the first time the company's products have gotten into trouble: in the past, a robot from the company was documented kicking its operator, and another case where a humanoid slapped a child during a dance performance.
"When a dancing robot goes wrong, it's mostly embarrassing. But a malfunction in a security robot, delivery system, autonomous vehicle, medical assistant, or industrial machine could injure humans, cause property damage, or trigger a chain of failures," Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, a professor of computer science at the University of Louisville, told the New York Post.
Now it remains to be seen whether the "Superman" from China will learn to turn in time, or if it will return to the repair lab again.
