# Humanoid Robots Show Rapid Progress at 'Robot Olympics' But hurdles remain in practical tasks. - **Source:** [Nature](https://brifing.si/source/4d850c3b-dd79-4024-bc91-db2571889199) - **Published:** 2026-08-27 - **Topic:** [Data & AI](https://brifing.si/c/data-ai) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/c091dda1-b8f1-4445-9582-c5d350d16549 ## Records Broken at Robot Olympics At the Second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, a humanoid robot set a new record in the 100-meter sprint with a time of 8.64 seconds. This time is nearly one second faster than Usain Bolt's record in 2009. The same robot won last year's race with a time of 21.5 seconds, showcasing the rapid advancement of technology. ## Robots' Physical Abilities Tested The competitions were designed to showcase the physical abilities of humanoid robots. One robot jumped 3.4 meters high, surpassing the human record set in 1993. Such events demonstrate how efficiently robots can convert energy into acceleration. ## Struggles with Daily Tasks According to Karen Liu from Stanford University, daily tasks like folding laundry are much harder for humanoid robots than performing a backflip. Robots struggle with high-dexterity tasks, especially those requiring the strength and coordination of the human hand. ## Scenario-Based Events This year's games expanded to include real-world tasks such as shelving books and making beds. In these 'scenario-based events,' robots that completed tasks autonomously scored higher than those remotely controlled by humans. ## Practical Use of Robots Aya Durbin from Boston Dynamics states that humanoid robots need to move beyond being 'toys' and start solving real-world problems to become part of our daily lives. Such competitions provide an important testing ground for practical applications. ## Speed of Technological Advancement X-Humanoid's robot improved its 100-meter sprint time from 21.5 seconds last year to 8.64 seconds this year. This is an example of how quickly humanoid robot technology is advancing. Robots excel in tasks that follow a prescribed trajectory. ## Challenges in High-Dexterity Tasks Robots struggle with high-dexterity tasks like hammering nails. In such tasks, robotic 'grippers' fail to mimic the strength and coordination of the human hand. Using tools is particularly challenging for robots. ## Future Potential The future potential of humanoid robots is significant, but they need to overcome challenges in practical tasks. Such competitions offer an important opportunity to understand how robots can become more effective in real-world tasks. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02713-z — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._