Chinese robot dog breaks speed record, challenges human runners

CGTN

A Chinese-made robot dog named Black Panther has reached a top speed of 10.3 metres per second (34 feet per second), setting a new world record for robotic dogs and approaching the speed of elite human sprinters, according to state media Xinhua News.

The four-legged robot, weighing 38 kilograms (84 pounds) and standing 0.63 metres (2.1 feet) tall, broke the previous record held by Boston Dynamics’ WildCat during a live televised demonstration.

Black Panther hit more than 10 metres per second on a treadmill within 10 seconds, nearing the pace of Usain Bolt’s 2009 100-metre world record of 9.58 seconds, which translates to 10.44 metres per second.

The robot dog is the result of a joint project between Zhejiang University’s humanoid innovation institute and Hangzhou-based startup Mirror Me.

Recent upgrades have boosted its strength and speed, enabling it to outpace most humans, though it remains slower than fast animals such as cheetahs and ostriches.

Developers say the robot dog could be adapted for disaster relief and logistics tasks in the future, including navigating rubble after earthquakes.

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