Chinese robot 'Bolt' sprints 10 meters per second, outrunning humans

HANGZHOU: A Zhejiang University team in China, in collaboration with Hangzhou-based robotics startups Mirror Me and Kaierda, has revealed a full-sized humanoid robot capable of running 10 meters per second, outsprinting most humans.

The new Chinese robot was named ‘Bolt’ in honor of Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt.

According to the developers, this achievement marks a substantial breakthrough in robot movement control, dynamic balance, and high-performance drive systems.

Wang Hongtao, head of the institute and founder of Mirror Me, raced against the red-painted Chinese robot Bolt on treadmills. A viral video clip demonstrates that although the new robot took shorter strides, it gained an advantage that allowed it to outperform Wang.

Previously, the team set a speed record for quadruped robots in 2025 with its “Black Panther,” which reached speeds of more than 10 meters per second.

In August of last year, Beijing hosted the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games, where the Tien Kung humanoid robot won the 100-meter race with a time of 21.5 seconds.