The World Humanoid Robot Games have begun in China with 280 teams from 16 different countries.
According to ABC News, the world’s first-ever Humanoid Robot Game kicked off in Beijing on Friday, August 15. During the three-day event the robots will compete in multiple games, including football, track and field, and table tennis.
The humanoid robots will also have special challenges like sorting medicines, handling materials, and providing cleaning services.
The event aims to highlight advancements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
Teams from 16 nations, including the United States, Germany, and Brazil, will compete in the event. Robots from Chinese companies like Unitree and Fourier are also taking part.
Meanwhile, among 280 teams, 192 are from universities and 88 are from private enterprises.
It is worth noting that Beijing earlier this year hosted the world's first humanoid robot marathon.
In recent years China has been spending a lot on robotics amid challenges like an ageing population and slowing economic growth. Over the past year the sector also got government subsidies of over $20 billion.
The International Federation of Robotics in a paper on Thursday wrote that Beijing has put humanoids in the "centre of their national strategy. The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology.”
The Chinese government also plans to fund 1 trillion yuan ($214 billion) to support AI and robotics startups.
