The 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games officially opened in Beijing on Thursday, marking a global showcase of cutting-edge humanoid robotics in intelligent decision-making, collaborative movement, and real-world application potential.
Held at the National Speed Skating Oval, the event features 280 teams from 16 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Italy, competing in 26 events from Friday to Sunday. Challenges range from athletic competitions such as running, long jump, gymnastics, football, and free exercises, to skills-based tasks like material handling, drug sorting, and cleaning in simulated scenarios.
The opening ceremony dazzled audiences with robots performing hip-hop, martial arts, musical numbers, and Chinese opera. Some showcased sports like boxing and soccer, while others displayed acrobatics, including backflips. A unique highlight was a fashion show where humanoid robots modeled custom outfits blending 3D printing with handcrafted designs.
According to Li Yechuan from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, the Games adopt human sports formats to rigorously test the limits of robot technology. Li Zhiqi, from the Beijing municipal government’s counsellors’ office, emphasised that the goal is to move humanoid robots beyond laboratories into factories, hospitals, homes, and other everyday settings, a step toward mass production.
The competition follows the 2025 World Robot Conference, which opened on August 8 under the theme “Making Robots Smarter, Making Embodied Agents More Intelligent.”
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