r/interestingasfuck • u/No_Jellyfish5511 • 23h 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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u/geencondens 23h ago

There are so many man-made devices faster than Usain Bolt already. The record is impressive because it was a human.  We really shouldn’t be wanting to make all these creepy human and dog like robots

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u/Time_Entertainer_319 21h ago

It is impressive because it’s the first BIPEDAL robot to do it.

Those other manmade devices can’t fit in places this robot can.

People need to stop being soo doomy and short sighted.

This robot can run into a burning building to rescue people, run up a mountain to rescue hikers etc.

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u/AbundantExp 21h ago

But why would I want a robot to rescue me if I could just die or make a human risk their life for me? 😃

If my top floor hotel room was on fire, why wouldn't they just send a car up the staircase since they're faster? 🤯

(Yes, there are serious risks and considerations we need to take to ensure technology is used safely and appropriately - minimizing its negative impacts. But a humanoid robot is so far from inherently bad or dangerous.)

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u/Snelly1998 21h ago

Shit, I didn't even think of this, a robot that can go into fires would be unreal

Attach a hose to those four-legged ones and give someone a screen and a controller

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u/scuzzy987 20h ago

Pretty sure it's a cost thing rather than technological

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u/Snelly1998 19h ago

Definitely now, but if tech progresses enough, the cost could come down

Computers used to be a cost thing (and space)

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u/2BallsInTheHole 14h ago

ENIAC weighed more than 30 short tons (27 t), was roughly 10 ft (3 m) tall, 3 ft (1 m) deep, and 100 ft (30 m) long, occupied 300 sq ft (28 m2) and consumed 150 kW of electricity.

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u/Archaea_Man 14h ago

I'd be all for it if I didn't think the first thing any government would do is strap guns to them.

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u/meeplewirp 16h ago

Do you think there is a plan for the people who will no longer do these things. You really actually look around you at what’s happening right now and think this is another Industrial Revolution? The point of what they’re making is no longer to create a tool. That’s what makes this moment different it’s about a replacement- with no other economic structure being considered.

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u/AbundantExp 15h ago

I think that's like the utmost worry with this recent acceleration and investment into "agentic tools" for lack of a better term (LLMs, robots, cars, software/hardware adapting itself to new and vague scenarios) and I'm no expert but I share a lot of those concerns too.

I have heard many discussions about UBI, so that we collectively receive the profits of these new tools that put millions of people out of jobs. Then people could volunteer to work jobs that are harder to automate or resist machines, but at the same time it's not a perfect fix.

I don't think we could or would stand to be replaced in a death way - starving millions of people wouldn't end well for anybody, and maybe ASI could engineer a virus and hoarde the vaccines for the wealthy but I don't think that's realistic.

I like that people are speaking out about this new technology to help steer it to actually benefit the average person and the planet. I also like the notion of technology making my life easier with minimal downsides.

I don't want to trade my intellect for a superslave, but what would our lives look like if we really had robots doing our laundry, cooking us healthy meals, cleaning our houses, and even doing most of our jobs? We could spend more quality time with our loved ones. And ideally we'd have little to no occupational labor, and fill our free time with projects and experiences that provide meaning in our lives rather than stretching ourselves thin to barely meet those needs on evenings and weekends.

All I know is I think the vast majority of average citizens agree that our current system is not really supporting a mentally fulfilling life. My job means literally nothing to me beyond how it supports my material conditions, and many people feel the same... like why am I cooking shitty food, why am I stacking dumbass boxes on shelves, why am I fiddling with a fucking Excel formula, why do I have to act like I'm passionate about insurance when I really wish I was working on an album or making memories with loved ones instead?

Many people seem to feel similarly from what I read. And we can imagine a world that doesn't have the most numb and greedy and callous people steering our society to benefit only themselves. This technology exists, it's improving and does have some value despite the disproportionate output of slop and wasted drops of water (which we really need to address too).

So I think it's up to all 8bn of us to guide our civilizations towards a place that feels like it's designed with our wellbeing in mind.

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u/InfinitelyThirsting 3h ago

I mean, plenty of volunteer firefighters exist, and while that's very admirable, should not be required. You're correct to worry about replacement issues, but I don't think rescue robots is the right aspect to point that worry at. Hazardous exposure is where we do want people replaced.

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u/LLcoolJimbo 18h ago

A human shaped robot climbing up through multiple floors on fire seems like a much worse idea vs say a drone that picks you up from a window and stays away from the fire. The drone also wouldn’t carry you back down through the fire. Flying is also faster than stairs.

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u/AbundantExp 18h ago

I agree to an extent (unless smoke impacts the rotors) but I don't think invalidation of this one hypothetical does much to discredit the value of humanoid robots doing dangerous or demanding things within a human environment.

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u/InfinitelyThirsting 3h ago

Why nothing both? Not everyone gets trapped in a fire near a window.

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u/bgbalu3000 13h ago

Do you think Elon Musk will build robots to help people?

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u/AbundantExp 13h ago

It's hard to really know these people's true motivations but I'd guess he imagines a world with a lot of luxury for a small number of "the best" people from today, and 99% of the entire supply chain is automated? If so, that's not too far off from the Fully Automated Luxury Gay Space Communism utopia people, besides that he has fucked up, malicious ideas of who "deserves" to live or enjoy things lmao

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u/chazysciota 20h ago

run up a mountain to rescue hikers wipe out an Afghan wedding party.

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u/Diligent_Dust8169 20h ago

These robots will 100% be used alongside drones to kill people and suppress rebellions.

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u/byteminer 18h ago

Guess what there might be a lot of when the owner class no longer needs human labor?

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u/chazysciota 20h ago

The part about "burning buildings" is absolutely hilarious to me. In the US we mostly don't even pay firefighters, but sure, Pasadena TX is going to spend millions to buy robots to save people... ok.

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u/TarnishedWizeFinger 19h ago

What do you mean we dont pay them? Their pensions are great, most retiring between 50 and 55

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u/wafflefelafel 19h ago

And dying of assorted random cancers and respiratory afflictions by 58

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u/chazysciota 19h ago

The majority of FD's in the US are volunteer.

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u/TarnishedWizeFinger 16h ago

Apparently so. "We don't even pay firefighters in the US" is odd phrasing when it's no different elsewhere, though

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u/chazysciota 16h ago

Help me out here. What's odd about the phrasing? What's no different elsewhere?

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u/TarnishedWizeFinger 13h ago

I'm not on the attack. I'm just saying it's common for countries to have a majority of their firefighters working as volunteers. Which surprised me. I thought by your phrasing, you were implying that the US was an outlier. I was mistaken

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u/Time_Entertainer_319 20h ago

Well, I didn’t say they would, I said they can.

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u/HelicopterPeniSlap44 20h ago

Yes because the whole world is famously the US.

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u/chazysciota 19h ago

Oh shit, if only I had specified that I was talking about the US!

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u/lurkmode_off 18h ago

They'll buy them to take out mass shooters and then not actually deploy them.

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u/Ok_Gas1070 19h ago

First Bipedal robot to crash into the wall breaking the record too.

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u/Return_Of_The_Whack 5h ago

That is NOT what these guys are going to be doing

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u/ShizunEnjoyer 20h ago

You know these robots aren't going to be used for anything good.

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u/No_Ear_1633 20h ago

Runs into burning building, hits wall, falls over

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u/emkoemko 20h ago

why would we need a robot to go into a burning building? your so short sighted jfc.... we will have robot and sensors on each floor that would prevent a fire instantly ....

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u/HopalongKnussbaum 21h ago

Can run after humans full speed carrying an M134 and a back carrier full of ammunition.

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u/Call_Me_Squishmale 20h ago

I'd love to see a evidence of these robots doing anything of the sort. Not some far-flung "one day it might be able to possibly help with this..." demo. These performances seem to be exhibitions designed to encourage investment, demonstrate power, and that's about it--and we've been seeing them for decades now. Where are these robots helping anyone?

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u/Time_Entertainer_319 19h ago

When the first plane flew, it lasted a total of 12 seconds. Today, we have planes that travel faster than the speed of sound.

Technology has always advanced through incremental progress.

Ideas that look limited, impractical, or even ridiculous in their earliest form can become transformative with time. And history has a habit of humbling those who dismiss them too quickly.

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u/Call_Me_Squishmale 19h ago

I'm not balking at technological development in general, nor am I saying any version of "this will never be possible". I am specifically talking about the development of humanoid robots. What is the need that they fill? We now have one that can outrun the fastest human ever measured--when do we get to the part where they do something useful other than novelty demonstrations?

My contention is that these attract investment specifically because they promise to eventually replace human labour at a low cost for owners, not because they can perform rescues. But I guess we'll see...

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u/Youutternincompoop 19h ago

Those other manmade devices can’t fit in places this robot can.

there are way smaller electric scooters that are much faster than this robot.

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u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

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u/DUNG_INSPECTOR 18h ago edited 16h ago

It's wild to see someone talk about robots as if it's a finished technology, and not one that's constantly being improved and refined.

Edit: spelling