A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor ran the 100 meters in 9.32 seconds, eclipsing Usain Bolt's long-standing human world record of 9.58 seconds set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
The robot, named Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second during a preparatory test ahead of the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened Saturday in Beijing. Researchers extended Lightning's legs by 10 centimeters following a half-marathon victory in April, when the robot completed 21 kilometers in 50 minutes and 26 seconds.
Bolt's record has stood for 17 years. Lightning's performance marks the first time a humanoid machine has surpassed the benchmark in a straight-line sprint.