Moment weightlifting robot collapses onto judges’ table during Olympics… before being rushed onto a stretcher
A humanoid robot competing in the weightlifting final at China's World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing collapsed onto a judges' table after malfunctioning mid-lift, prompting officials to halt the attempt and staff to carry it away on a stretcher. The moment, captured on video, drew widespread amusement online and highlighted the unpredictable, sometimes chaotic nature of pitting robots against sporting challenges designed for humans, even as the wider event showcases China's ambitions in humanoid robotics.
The mishap occurred on the second day of the five-day competition, held at the Beijing National Speed Skating Oval, after the robot shook while holding a weight overhead, dropped it, and stumbled into the judges' table. It was one of several dramatic incidents at the games, which also saw a robot break Usain Bolt's 100m world record with a time of 9.39 seconds and another perform Cristiano Ronaldo's "Siuuu" goal celebration. More than 2,000 robots from 16 countries are taking part across 1,301 matches and 50 events, ranging from sports such as gymnastics and tug of war to practical tasks including bricklaying and power tool assembly, with 96% of teams hailing from China.
- Weightlifting robot malfunctioned and collapsed onto a judges' table in Beijing
- It was carried off on a stretcher; competition attempt was halted
- Games also saw a robot beat Usain Bolt's 100m world record
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Robots designed to move and act like humans, known as humanoid robots, are being tested against each other at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, a five-day competition featuring more than 2,000 robots from 16 countries. The event pits machines against sporting and practical challenges normally reserved for people, including weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics and even bricklaying, as a showcase of how far the technology has come.
The competition is widely seen as a demonstration of China's ambitions in robotics, since the vast majority of participating teams are Chinese. Because the tasks are demanding and the robots are still experimental, mishaps and unexpected results have featured heavily alongside genuine feats, making the games as notable for their unpredictability as for their technical achievements.