Kathmandu— The second World Humanoid Robot Games commenced Saturday evening in Beijing, drawing participants from 16 countries and featuring a significant increase in both teams and robots compared to its inaugural edition. Over 666 teams are fielding a total of 2,056 humanoid robots at the five-day competition held within the National Speed Skating Oval, with events designed to move beyond demonstration and into real-world productivity scenarios.

Growing Participation and Scale

This year’s games represent substantial growth from the first World Humanoid Robot Games, which took place in August 2025 and included 280 teams and over 500 robots. The increase in participation highlights the rapidly expanding interest and investment in humanoid robot technology globally. Organizers anticipate that the event will foster technological exchange and industrial collaboration.

Shift Towards Practical Application

A key change for this year’s competition is a move away from simulated environments towards real-world settings. Competition events are now being held in locations such as factories, hotels, and model homes, with the goal of demonstrating how humanoid robots can contribute to practical productivity. This shift aims to transition the technology beyond mere demonstration tools and into functional roles within various industries.

Event Collaboration

The games are a collaborative effort between multiple organizations including the Beijing municipal government, China Media Group, the World Robot Cooperation Organization, and the Asia-Pacific Robot World Cup International Council. This partnership underscores the importance placed on developing embodied intelligence and advancing robotics technology.

The competition is scheduled to continue for five days, with participants vying for top honors across 51 different events.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.