Chinese humanoid robot Lightning has broken the mens 100 metre world record long held by Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt, completing the distance in 9.32 seconds during a test event held in Beijing on Saturday.
The robot was developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor, and its performance was reported by Chinese state media.
Lightning reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second during a preparatory test event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on the same day.
Bolts previous world record of 9.58 seconds, equivalent to a speed of 10.44 meters per second, was set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. Lightnings run comfortably surpassed this benchmark, making it faster than the fastest human sprinter on record.
China has been promoting humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with government and private sector investment aimed at accelerating their use in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications.
Lightning previously won the Beijing half marathon in April, completing the 21 kilometer course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, a time faster than the elite mens human world record pace for the distance.
The robots latest feat comes as the World Humanoid Robot Games get underway in Beijing, an event showcasing advances in robotics and artificial intelligence from companies across China.
