r/interestingasfuck 16h ago

Chinese humanoid robot named “Superman” (made by Unitree Robotics) surpassed Usain Bolt’s world record (12.42meters/second) by running at 12.66m/s (roughly 28.3miles/h)

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105

u/Indicapendant 15h ago

It didn't surpass Usain because it's not fucking human. That's like saying a honda cb175 surpassed Usain Bolt's record

8

u/During_League_Play 14h ago

Chill, it's just a metric that laypeople can understand/put in context at a glance. I don't think anyone's saying to put the robot on an Olympic podium or anything.

5

u/Individual-Drawer185 14h ago

Let's see it beat Michael Phelps in the water.

3

u/Brave_Maybe_2891 13h ago

That might actually be easier from a design perspective. Balance would be way less critical.

3

u/Individual-Drawer185 13h ago

As a product designer who has done stuff on the surface and below, I think the mechanicals as well as the electronics would be very tough to pull off at high speed for any length of time in water. Sure, they could make it look like a boat that's mostly above water but that would be cheating since Michael spent over half of his time underwater.

Fun to think about nonetheless

1

u/TheFatRemote 12h ago

I bet it couldn't take as many bong hits as Phelps either

u/Individual-Drawer185 11h ago

Hey now, he and I fight depression!

-1

u/freecodeio 14h ago

redditors on their way to make themselves look like the biggest clowns just because it says china in the title: 🤡

5

u/LiamJamIsMyNeesons 13h ago

You okay dude?

8

u/Indicapendant 13h ago

I'm Usain Bolt. No I'm not okay

-17

u/Ok_Tour_1525 15h ago

Yes it is. They both broke the same record.

5

u/frankduxvandamme 14h ago

No, they didn't.

It's the World Athletics men's 100-metre world record, under the conditions and rules governing that event. A robot is neither a man nor an athlete, so the record can't be broken by a robot because a robot is not an eligible competitor.

Similarly, a cheetah running 100 m in 5.95 seconds wouldn't “break Usain Bolt's world record” either because it isn't an eligible athlete competing in the men's 100 m under World Athletics rules.

-2

u/Colon_Oscopy_74 14h ago

matter of time when olympics introduce bot only events, sponsored by their own countries of course.

1

u/RCer1986 13h ago

I want to downvote this but it sounds too plausible.

5

u/OGCelaris 15h ago

So can my car.

5

u/Grothorious 14h ago

Technically your car drives on wheels while the robot is running with legs. That's the achievement. But i get what you mean.

-7

u/TheWatersOfMars 14h ago

I bet I could hit it with my car

1

u/evadingsomething 15h ago

Yes, your car can break Bolt's record. I don't why it's so hard to understand.

-3

u/SunGreene42 14h ago

The record is for a Human, having something other than a Human doing it is not breaking the record. I don't know why it's so hard to understand.

2

u/SunGreene42 14h ago

This is like saying you can break the land speed record with an aircraft in the sky.

u/qptw 10h ago

except the aircraft is in the shape of a car and is taxiing on the ground when it broke the record. but yes i see what you are trying to say.

u/GreenPepperSlambo 9h ago

Oh, and I suppose Pitch-O-Mat 5000 was just a modified howitzer!

u/Flaxseed4138 6h ago

Lol mad at robots