Second World Humanoid Robot Games kick off in Beijing
The second World Humanoid Robot Games officially kicked off on Saturday evening in Beijing, with more than 1,000 humanoid robots taking part in a spectacular opening ceremony that showcased the latest technological achievements.
When machines take to the stage not as tools but as participants in a celebration, the line between technology and art blurs. Robots playing musical instruments, competing in sports and marching in synchrony are not just a demonstration of engineering prowess. They reflect a new era in which humans and machines can create together, complementing each other. The World Humanoid Robot Games have become not just a competition but a symbol of a future where technology serves not only efficiency but also beauty, inspiration and unity.
The five‑day event features 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries, competing in 51 disciplines. The ceremony, held at the National Speed Skating Oval, included musical performances, a parade of participating teams and robot formations, as well as the symbolic lighting of the Games flame. The evening opened with a musical prelude entitled "Melody of the Future". Thirty‑six humanoid robots, each with dexterous five‑fingered hands resembling human hands, played various instruments alongside human musicians.
Beyond artistry, the robots also demonstrated their athletic achievements. In a unique show, they played football, table tennis and tennis, competing in singles and mixed doubles matches with human partners. One of the most spectacular moments came during the parade, when humanoid robots marched in synchrony. Each robot independently calculated its route and dynamically adjusted its posture to stay in unison. Some even performed complex acrobatic stunts, including the "Thomas Flair" gymnastics move.
As part of the Games, energy‑relay and torch‑relay events for humanoid robots were held both in China and abroad. The journey began at the Winter Olympics in Milan and passed through tea plantations in Fujian Province in eastern China, dragon‑boat races in Sichuan Province in southwest China, and mounted archery competitions in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China. All the "energy" collected converged at the opening ceremony in Beijing, where a robot drew a bow and ignited the "Zhixin", or intelligent chip, the equivalent of the Olympic flame, symbolically lighting the Games flame.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games is the largest international event in robotics, showcasing the latest advances in artificial intelligence, mechatronics and autonomous systems. This year's programme has been expanded to 51 competitive disciplines, including ball games, combat tasks and practical assignments in industrial assembly and household services. The Games are jointly organised by the Beijing municipal government, China Media Group (CMG), the World Robot Cooperation Organisation and the Asia‑Pacific Robotic World Cup International Council. Organisers said the event aims to promote technological exchange, industrial cooperation and the development of embodied intelligence.
As CCTV+ reports, the opening ceremony of the second World Humanoid Robot Games was not just a spectacular show but a vivid demonstration of how far robotics has come. From synchronised marching to playing musical instruments, robots have shown that they can be not only assistants but also creators. In the coming days, more than 2,000 robots will continue to amaze the world, proving that the future is arriving faster than we tend to think — and it is already here, on the ice arena of Beijing.
