China: World Humanoid Robot Games to see 2,056 machines competing for top prize

Within China, 157 companies and 200 universities and research institutes will take part, fielding 641 teams and 1,975 robots.UBTech Robotics/YouTube Humanoid robots are set to take on a wider range of challenges in Beijing this month, as the second World Humanoid Robot Games is set to begin next week. The event brings together a record 2,056 machines from 666 teams representing 16 countries across six continents. The Aug. 22-26 event will feature newly introduced competitions in long jump, weightlifting, tug-of-war and table tennis, alongside other events. Organizers said the number of teams has increased 138 percent from last year, while robot participation has doubled. Robot games expand The second World Humanoid Robot Games will see 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries across six continents competing in 51 events and 1,301 matches over five days. Co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Government and China Media Group, the event has expanded from three days to five, with competition sessions scheduled in the afternoon and evening. This year’s games include 30 competitive events and 21 scenario-based events, compared with 26 events and 487 matches at the inaugural edition. The number of teams has increased 138 percent, while robot participation has quadrupled, reports China Daily. The United States, Germany, Japan and other countries with established robotics industries are sending teams. Brazil is participating with a five-member squad of Robot World Cup champions. China has 157 enterprises, 641 teams and 1,975 robots taking part. Teams from 27 Chinese universities are competing, with participants representing 30 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and special administrative regions. The scenario-based events have expanded from six last year and now cover nine settings: households, hotels, industrial facilities, emergency rescue, logistics, libraries, retail, office services and vehicle charging. Two new challenges focus on practical robotic capabilities. The Dexterous Hand Challenge includes tool assembly, powder weighing, block stacking, nail driving, bottle opening, unboxing, tweezer pick-up and cable connection. It evaluates areas including micro-distance vision, motion planning, force control and operational accuracy. The Integrated Five Challenge requires robots to perform dexterous operations, transfer objects stably and lift heavy loads while completing a 100-meter run. Stricter rules debut Competition rules have also been tightened. Time limits for the 100-meter, 400-meter and 1,500-meter races have been reduced from three minutes to one minute, 15 minutes to five minutes, and 40 minutes to 15 minutes, respectively. Track and competitive events must be completed autonomously without remote control, except for the 100-meter and 400-meter obstacle races. In scenario events, fully autonomous completion receives a weight coefficient of 1.0, while remotely controlled completion is capped at 0.5, reports CGTN. In robot soccer, a goal counts only if at least two teammates have touched the ball during the build-up, encouraging coordinated play. Gold medals will be awarded across nine sessions. Twelve medal events are scheduled for Aug. 23. The opening evening will include a 7v7 soccer exhibition and preliminaries in the 100-meter and 400-meter races. Freestyle combat finals and the 5v5 soccer final are scheduled before the closing ceremony. Freestyle combat will feature eight sessions across 40-kilogram, 58-kilogram and 80-kilogram weight classes. Weightlifting, introduced this year, will award lightweight and heavyweight titles on Aug. 24. Dance participation has increased from 29 teams to 108, with street dance, ballroom and cheerleading competitions. The games will have 223 referees, including 28 international-level, 75 national-level and 120 first-tier officials. An expanded arbitration committee will handle disputes. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Jijo is an automotive and business journalist based in India. Armed with a BA in History (Honors) from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, and a PG diploma in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, he has worked for news agencies, national newspapers, and automotive magazines. In his spare time, he likes to go off-roading, engage in political discourse, travel, and teach languages.