Robotics success on track

A viral video showing a humanoid robot sprinting around a track has thrust Chinese firm Unitree Robotics into the spotlight, rekindling investor debate over whether headline-grabbing speed records can translate into durable commercial value.

In the footage, Unitree's H1 humanoid robot, stripped of its head and arms for performance optimization, reached a peak speed of 10 meters per second, a level approaching elite human sprinters.

For comparison, sprint legend Usain Bolt clocked 9.58 seconds over 100 meters, implying a top speed of roughly 10.44 meters per second.

The progress would mark a step-change from the robot's previously disclosed record of 3.3 meters per second in 2025, underscoring rapid advances in motion control and power systems across China's humanoid robotics sector.

Unitree founder Wang Xingxing earlier signaled such ambitions, telling a business forum in March that robots could "run faster than Bolt" within the year.

Zhou Di, a senior engineer affiliated with an expert think tank of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said: "The significance is not the speed itself, but the validation of high-speed dynamic control. This demonstrates that Chinese firms are now in the top tier globally in bipedal locomotion and core actuation systems."

Unitree is not alone. China's humanoid robotics ecosystem has seen a surge in performance benchmarks over the past year.

In February, Zhejiang University and Shanghai robotics company Jingshi Technology announced the launch of Bolt, a full-size humanoid robot that reached a peak running speed of 10 meters per second, which they said is the fastest full-size running robot in the world.

At 175 centimeters tall and weighing 75 kilograms, Bolt clocked speeds that outpace any previously recorded full-size humanoid robot, the developers said. The robot's name was inspired by Usain Bolt.

An industry insider said that improvements in gait optimization algorithms have made robot movement more human-like, boosting both efficiency and stability over longer durations. The broader implication is that China's robotics sector is shifting from proof-of-concept prototypes toward systems capable of sustained, high-intensity operation.

However, Zhou said that the key question for investors is whether speed converts into usable capability.

"Applications such as navigating stairs, avoiding obstacles or operating in emergency terrain all rely on the same control technologies developed through high-speed motion research," Zhou said. "Speed is only the first milestone."

Despite these constraints, capital is flowing. Unitree filed for an initial public offering on Shanghai's STAR Market in March, backed by investors including Meituan, Alibaba Group and Matrix Partners China.

The company's filings show it shipped 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025, ranking first globally. Revenue reached 1.167 billion yuan ($171.25 million) in the first three quarters, with net profit of 431 million yuan after non-recurring items.

Notably, 73.6 percent of humanoid robot revenue came from research and education, underscoring the sector's early-stage commercialization. Consumer applications accounted for 17.4 percent, while industrial use cases made up just 9 percent.

In an exclusive interview with China Daily at the World Robot Conference in Beijing, Wang said the next few years will see Chinese robots become "undoubtedly cheaper", as Unitree has already cut prices of its R1 humanoid robot to 39,900 yuan.

"The move is not a simple discounting tactic, but a deliberate push to lower the entry barrier for buyers, stimulate demand and accelerate the creation of a broader commercial ecosystem," Wang said.

The ultimate goal, Wang said, is that robots can work "as efficiently as humans", where humanoids are accessible through leasing programs for factories, farms or households, and where a vibrant developer community constantly builds new applications to augment the machines.

"We could see such obvious progress in two to three years," he said, adding that full realization would take no more than a decade.

chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn