A new humanoid robot from China has set a record. It runs at a top speed of just over 8 mph. It is the fastest bipedal robot to date. The feat was only achieved with the help of a pair of specially added trainers. Known as STAR1, the robot was developed by Robot Era, a Chinese company focused on advanced robotics. STAR1 stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall (171 cm) and weighs 143 pounds (65 kg).
Robot Era showed a demonstration video. They put two STAR1 robots to the test in the Gobi Desert. This desert is located in northwestern China. They equipped one robot with sneakers. They did not equip the other robot with shoes. This was done to measure if the footwear would impact performance. The robot with shoes was powered by high-torque motors and AI algorithms. It was able to navigate challenging terrains such as grass, gravel, and pavement. It maintained a consistent top speed for 34 minutes.