Overview

• More than 500 humanoid robots on 280 teams from 16 countries competed in sports such as soccer, running, boxing and dance at Beijing’s 12,000-seat National Speed Skating Oval.
• Machines demonstrated improved perception and coordinated motion but repeatedly toppled, overheated or stalled when battery power waned.
• Technicians were constantly on hand to replace batteries, tune limbs and remotely assist robots after crashes, underscoring persistent reliance on human support.
• A humans-versus-robots soccer demonstration at the closing ceremony highlighted remaining gaps in autonomy and resilience.
• Organizers view the Games as a large-scale public testbed to collect performance data and drive China’s broader push in industrial and service-oriented humanoid robotics.