"They Fought Like Humans, Fell Like Humans, and Got Hurt"... First Robot Martial Arts Champion Crowned in China

"Robot movements as smooth and professional as those of pro athletes"
Visible scratches on the final winner's body... captured clearly on camera

The world's first humanoid robot fighting tournament was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

Humanoid robot practicing for a fighting tournament. Unitree official Weibo

According to local media outlets such as Jimu News on the 25th, the "CMG World Robot Tournament Series" hosted by China Media Group (CMG) took place that day.

Unitree (Weisu Technology), a leading Chinese humanoid robotics company, participated as a partner in this competition. Wang Qixin, director at Unitree, stated, "It is not easy to teach martial arts movements to robots," explaining that they rely on artificial intelligence (AI) technology that allows robots to learn. He added, "The robots learn based on motion capture data from professional martial arts athletes," and explained, "They can demonstrate ten different techniques, including straight punches, side kicks, and hooks."

The competition followed a three-round format, with each round lasting two minutes. If a robot was knocked down and could not get up within the designated time, it was declared the loser. Jimu News reported, "Although they are robots, they fought like humans and fell like humans," adding, "The robots continuously tested each other's weaknesses, and the arena was filled with tension."

The report continued, "The final winner was Xiaohei (AI strategist), whose body showed visible scratches on camera, giving a sense of how intense the match was."

Humanoid robot practicing for a fighting tournament. Unitree official Weibo

To compete in the ring, a robot must have a solid body structure and be able to maintain stable balance.

Jimu News noted, "For robots to be used in real life, there are still many obstacles to overcome, including responding to sudden changes, collaborating with humans, and improving their own planning abilities." The report added, "In order to handle small but frequent tasks such as feeding pets, caring for the elderly, delivering goods, and nursing patients without problems, robots will need to go through many more stages. Martial arts is only a warm-up for the practical use of humanoid robots."

Li Gaofeng, a researcher at Zhejiang University, told China Business Daily, "We've already seen robots run, jump, and do somersaults, but it is not easy for robots to engage in martial arts against each other because they must consider not only themselves but also the state of their opponent." He added, "To address issues with the stability of robot systems, challenges must be solved not only at the algorithm level but also in the performance of the robot's hardware motors and reducers." Regarding this competition, he commented, "It was an event that showcased the rapid development of humanoid robots," and added, "The robots' side kicks and other moves were as smooth and professional as those of pro athletes."

Beijing plans to hold the world's first humanoid robot sports competition at the National Stadium (commonly known as the Bird's Nest) and the National Speed Skating Oval from August 15 to 17. At a press conference on the 7th, Zhang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, announced, "The tournament will feature 19 events, including floor exercise, soccer, and dance." Robots participating in the competition must operate independently without external energy sources, and participating teams must provide their own internet connectivity during the tournament. Director Zhang stated, "There are many challenges in robot technology innovation, product upgrades, and applications," and explained, "Therefore, following the humanoid robot half marathon, we are also holding a sports competition." Prior to the sports competition, Beijing will also host the World Robot Conference from August 8 to 12, with about 200 companies participating.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.