China's new robot claims it can outrun Usain Bolt
What's the story
Chinese robotics company Unitree has unveiled a new humanoid robot called "Superman," which Unitree says can make a standing jump of two meters and run at a speed of 12.66m/s. If verified, these claims would beat human records for both feats. The Hangzhou-based company developed the machine in just over three months and considers it a work in progress with room for further improvement.
Record-breaking performance
Robot would beat human records
The two-meter standing jump of the "Superman" is particularly impressive, as the current Guinness World Record for the highest standing jump by a man is 1.7 meters. This record was set by Christopher Spell of the United States in February 2021.
The robot's speed of 12.66m/s also beats Usain Bolt's peak speeds during his world record runs, making it one of the fastest machines on two legs.
Financial milestone
Unitree set to debut on STAR Market
The introduction of "Superman" comes just days ahead of a major milestone for Unitree.
The company is set to debut on Shanghai's STAR Market after raising 6.1 billion yuan (approximately $905 million) in an initial public offering (IPO).
The share sale received massive investor interest, with retail demand oversubscribing the shares by more than 8,000 times, according to Reuters.
Company profile
Unitree has delivered around 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots
Unitree has become one of China's most prominent robotics companies, with its humanoid machines gaining attention for their running, dancing, and martial arts demonstrations.
The company claims to have produced and delivered around 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots across various models by July.
Despite not being independently verified as official records yet, the performance of "Superman" is a testament to the rapid progress in humanoid robotics technology.