Archive · 20 Aug 2026
China's Superman Robot Claims Speed Beyond Usain Bolt
Unitree Robotics has shown a humanoid robot it calls Superman.
The company says it can run faster than Usain Bolt’s fastest recorded speed.
It also says the robot can jump about two metres straight up from a standing position.
A video shows the robot jumping and landing on its feet.
Unitree says the robot was built in a little over three months.
However, no independent group has checked the company’s speed or jump claims.
One social-media post said the robot had trouble stopping after its sprint.
Unitree is developing robots that it hopes will be fast, capable and potentially less expensive.
Unitree Robotics claims its humanoid robot can reach 12.66 metres per second, or about 45.6 kilometres per hour.
The claimed speed slightly exceeds Usain Bolt’s estimated peak of 12.42 metres per second during his 2009 world-record 100-metre run.
The robot reportedly performed a standing jump of about two metres, exceeding the cited human record of around 1.8 metres.
Unitree says the robot was developed in just over three months and has 0.85-metre legs.
The performance figures come from company demonstrations and have not been independently verified; one social-media post said the robot could not stop immediately after sprinting.
- Who
- Unitree Robotics demonstrated the humanoid robot; Usain Bolt is used as a speed comparison.
- What
- Unitree claims the robot can run at 12.66 metres per second and jump about two metres from a standing position.
- When
- The demonstration was reported in August 2026, with the company’s video released on a Monday; Unitree said development took just over three months.
- Where
- The robot was developed and demonstrated in China; Unitree is based in Hangzhou.
- Why
- The demonstration supports Unitree’s effort to develop faster, more capable and potentially less expensive commercial humanoid robots.
Performance Claims
Verification Concerns
Running speed
Performance Claims
Unitree says the robot reached 12.66 metres per second, slightly above Usain Bolt’s estimated peak speed of 12.42 metres per second.
Verification Concerns
The figure comes from Unitree’s own robot test and has not been independently verified; the comparison uses peak speed rather than a full race.
Jumping ability
Performance Claims
Unitree’s video appears to show the robot jumping about two metres from standing and landing on its feet.
Verification Concerns
The reported jump has not been independently verified, and it is unclear whether the robot can repeat the performance outside a controlled environment.
Practical performance
Performance Claims
Unitree presents the demonstration as progress in speed, agility, balance and explosive movement.
Verification Concerns
A social-media post said the robot could not stop in time after sprinting, while the articles note uncertainty over whether it can sustain its headline performance.
- Company
- Unitree Robotics
- Robot nickname
- Superman
- Claimed top speed
- 12.66 metres per second, or about 45.6 kilometres per hour
- Usain Bolt comparison
- Bolt’s cited peak speed was about 12.42 metres per second, or 44.7 kilometres per hour
- Claimed standing jump
- About two metres
- Development time
- A little over three months
- Independent verification
- The performance figures have not been independently verified
- IPO fundraising
- About 6.1 billion yuan, or roughly $905 million
