Robots step into the ring for a first-ever boxing match
Robot combat just got a lot more interesting in Hangzhou, China.
Four Unitree G1 robots, each steered by a human operator, went head-to-head in a tournament called Unitree Iron Fist King: Awakening!
The event took place right next to Unitree's massive new factory and drew a lively mix of tech fans and people just curious to see what all the buzz was about. This wasn't only about showing off robotic strength; it gave everyone a front-row seat to how impressively robots can now move and react almost like humans.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join.
The competition was structured like a classic martial arts tournament. Each match consisted of three rounds, each lasting two minutes. Points were awarded for strikes: one for a hand hit, three for a leg strike. Knockdowns or failure to recover within eight seconds meant penalties, adding to the tension. The format kept things fast-paced and easy to follow.
The opening match set the tone. "AI Strategist," controlled by Lu Xin, faced "Silk Artisan," piloted by Jiao Tianqi. AI Strategist wasted no time, landing precise blows and ultimately knocking out Silk Artisan in the third round.
Next up, "Armored Mulan" faced off against "Energy Guardian." Energy Guardian scored a dramatic knockdown in the first round, and despite a late stumble from Armored Mulan, Energy Guardian secured the win.
The final bout saw AI Strategist return to the ring against Energy Guardian. In a display of skill and adaptability, AI Strategist delivered three consecutive knockouts, clinching the championship. According to Zhou Di, a robotics expert with the China Computer Federation, "The robots' ability to predict opponents' moves and adjust in real time is a leap forward."
Standing 4.3 feet tall and weighing 77 pounds, the Unitree G1 is built for agility. With 23 degrees of freedom and powerful knee joints, these robots can throw hooks and side kicks and recover quickly after a fall. They may look a bit clunky in action, but their movements are surprisingly fluid and engaging.
The G1 is designed with accessibility in mind. It's more affordable than Unitree's flagship H1 model, which stands nearly 6 feet tall and costs upwards of $90,000. The G1 can be folded up and carried by one person, and it can reach speeds of about 4.5 miles per hour. Its impressive moves, such as kip-ups and side flips, are made possible by the LAFAN1 motion capture dataset, which translates human movements into robotic actions.
This tournament wasn't just for show. It served as a real-world test for the G1's sensors, motors, and algorithms. Every punch, dodge and recovery pushed the robots to their limits. Observers noted some minor issues, like slight delays in reaction time or wobbles after taking a hit, but overall, the robots handled the pressure well.
One of the most interesting aspects of the G1 is its ability to learn new skills over time. Operators can control the robots using motion-sensing devices, traditional controllers or even voice commands. Unitree is making it easy for anyone to experience these battles, whether through live streams or in-person events.
The "Unitree Iron Fist King: Awakening!" tournament really showed us what the future of robot combat could look like. The G1 robots wowed everyone with their quick moves, flexibility and the kind of action that keeps a crowd cheering. As the tech keeps getting better, these events are only going to get more fun and easier for everyone to check out, bringing the excitement of robot sports to fans everywhere.
Would you buy a ticket to watch a live robot battle, or do you prefer traditional sports? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter
Follow Kurt on his social channels:
Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:
New from Kurt:
Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Android Authority
an hour ago
- Android Authority
How does a phone with a crazy external lens compare to the S23 Ultra's zoom camera?
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority The vivo X200 Ultra is a great camera phone in its own right (if you're willing to import it), in no small part due to its impressive 200MP 3.7x periscope camera. However, the company switches things up by offering an optional external lens for even better zoom. The X200 Ultra's 2.35x telephoto converter lens effectively turns the phone's 200MP periscope camera into an ~8.6x shooter. I thought it would be a good idea to compare this lens to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which was the last of Samsung's flagships with a dedicated 10x camera (10MP). I wasn't expecting the S23 Ultra to hold up very well, but here's how it went. vivo X200 Ultra's external lens vs Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 10x Vivo X200 Ultra lens 200mm Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 30x Vivo X200 Ultra lens 800mm Is it any surprise that I think the vivo X200 Ultra and its external lens handily beat the two-year-old Galaxy S23 Ultra's 10x camera in the comparisons above? Absolutely not, I'm comparing a 2023 flagship to a brand-new flagship phone with a bulky lens. Samsung's 10x and 30x images are washed out and lack detail compared to the vivo pictures. You can see this disparity most clearly in the second set of images, as I can make out the '1919' on the mini-lighthouse in the vivo picture. I also quite like the sea in the second vivo picture, which looks like a painting in the Samsung image. Samsung's 10x picture also contains plenty of noise in the dark parts of the scene. vivo's images are a little overly contrasted for my tastes, though, so it's not a complete win here. You can take a closer look at the difference in definition via the comparison below. I can actually see the cable car inside the station with the vivo as opposed to a blob with the Galaxy. In saying so, the X200 Ultra's heavy-handed image processing at long range is apparent. The phone's AI-driven processing seems to struggle with complex scenery, resulting in these over-sharpened, almost striated textures on the mountain. I would like to see the company take a step back with this aggressive image processing in more situations. What about people, though? Well, the good news is that the X200 Ultra's lens offers a shallow depth-of-field effect without needing to switch to the portrait mode. This gives the scene a good level of depth owing to the blurred background, while the S23 Ultra's rendition appears flatter by comparison. This is also apparent when zooming in to 30x and 800mm. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 10x vivo X200 Ultra lens 200mm Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 30x vivo X200 Ultra lens 800mm The X200 Ultra pictures also show significantly more detail, allowing me to crop in a little further and still end up with a decent image. By contrast, the S23 Ultra's images simply lack the same level of clarity and are significantly noisier. It's not a clean sweep for the vivo handset and lens. Neither phone truly captured accurate skin tones here, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra got closer to the actual scene at 10x. I also noticed mesh-like artifacts in the 800mm vivo image around the left ear. It's a very minor issue and not something you'll see unless you're really pixel-peeping, but it's worth pointing out anyway. When I compared the lens-free X200 Pro to the Galaxy S23 Ultra earlier this year, I thought that the vivo was really able to stretch its advantage over the Samsung in low light. So what happens when you add an external lens into the mix? Galaxy S23 Ultra 10x vivo X200 Ultra lens 200mm Galaxy S23 Ultra 10x vivo X200 Ultra lens 200mm The first set of images highlights one of vivo's traditional strengths, namely its ability to tame light sources in low light. Meanwhile, the signage in the S23 Ultra's image is blown out. Vivo's snap also gives us a much clearer look at the building's artwork. Neither phone manages to stay noise-free in this challenging scene, but you don't have to zoom in to see it on the Samsung image. The second set of pictures reveals a greater disparity, as noise dominates the Samsung picture while vivo's aggressive noise reduction pays off in this situation. I can also make out various bits of text in the X200 Ultra's image, which is a testament to the detail on offer here. You can view full-resolution images from each phone via our Google Drive folder. What do you think of this camera shootout? 0 votes The X200 Ultra's lens is the winner by far NaN % The lens was better, but didn't make a big difference NaN % I preferred the shots from the S23 Ultra NaN % Were there any doubts about the winner? Hadlee Simons / Android Authority It's really no surprise that the vivo X200 Ultra and its bulky telephoto converter lens came out on top in this comparison. In fact, I'd be more concerned if this were a closer fight. The combination of that 200MP 3.7x camera and the external lens results in significantly better image quality, particularly at long range and in low light. It wasn't a flawless victory for vivo, though, owing to the occasional image processing issue. If anything, this shootout makes me sad that we haven't seen a camera phone since the Galaxy S23 Ultra with a proper 10x zoom shooter. I don't think a modern 10x camera would actually beat the X200 Ultra and its giant lens, but updated hardware and more sensible image processing would certainly help it get much closer. So my fingers are crossed for more 10x cameras in 2026.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Uma Wang Men's Spring 2026: Big on Bhutan
Designer Uma Wang spent eight days in Bhutan last summer and was bowled over by how stylish men looked in their traditional robes, known as a gho, and striped fabrics galore. She also noticed they never carry bags, tucking their phones and other necessities into the folds of their tightly wrapped clothes, or in capacious pockets. In addition, they mix traditional garb with T-shirts and sneakers and she found that 'more than interesting.' More from WWD Paul Smith Is Feeling Hot Hot Hot Umit Benan Unveils First Boutique in Milan, a Members' Club for the Quality Obsessed Luca Magliano Takes His Cinematic Eye to the Screen for Spring 2026 With CineMagliano She translated all of this into her soothing spring men's collection, employing thick linens with the rumpled texture of burlap for suits, flowing rayon for loose pants and tegos — the loose jackets worn under a gho — and wax-coated drill for utility vests with enough pockets for a mountaineer to pack at least half a dozen sandwiches. Shanghai-based Wang has been quietly making menswear for a decade, selling it to about 80 wholesale clients and building it up to about a fifth of her business. She decided to host a presentation for the first time, inviting retailers and editors to her year-old Milan store with its rugged hardwood floors and industrial shelving. Imperfections are her thing, like a loose rayon fabric upon which she stitched strips of linen. 'The fabrics don't like each other, it seems like a mistake,' she said as a way to explain the rumpled appearance of the stripes, which pleased her to no end. She develops all of her fabrics in Italy, including a gray pinstripe realized with brown yarn that blobbed here and there, reminding you of when the Grinch was stitching his Santa suit and the tail of his dog Max entered the sewing machine by mistake. Wang also tried her hand at a gho, developing a lustrous jacquard based on a tiny swatch of fabric discovered at a museum, and at thin-soled sneakers, which could bring zing to many summer outfits. Launch Gallery: Uma Wang Men's Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection Best of WWD Windowsen RTW Spring 2022 Louis Shengtao Chen RTW Spring 2022 Vegan Fashion Week Returns to L.A. With Nous Etudions, Vegan Tiger on the Runway
Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Gizmodo
This Case Forced Me to Completely Rethink How I Handle the Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is currently the featherweight champion of gaming handhelds—though largely because nobody can enter its weight class. No other device of its size—whether it's a handheld PC or another retro device—can slip so easily into a backpack without weighing you down, like you're lugging a sack of bricks around through every train station and airport terminal. That slim design comes with its own heap of drawbacks. The Switch 2 is a thin device with narrow edges that tends to dig into your palms. I've tried a smorgasbord of various cases with the Switch 2, but only Dbrand's Killswitch case has reinvented the console's ergonomics and kept it usable. The case tacks on extra bulk to Nintendo's design, making it extra comfortable and extra heavy. Until better alternatives come along, the Killswitch is how I plan to game with my Switch 2 going forward, even if my arms and back will complain later. Dbrand Killswitch Case for Switch 2 The Killswitch case is the best we've used to change the Switch 2 ergonomics, but at the expense of easy docking to a TV. Pros Cons Dbrand's Killswitch was one of the more popular covers for devices like Steam Deck. Valve's handheld is a more ergonomic device than Nintendo's, and the Killswitch merely extends the grips for larger hands while protecting the device's back and side plates. The version made for Switch 2 upends the look, weight, and feel of Nintendo's new handheld. Once you wrap the case around the Switch 2's screen and each individual Joy-Con 2, the handheld suddenly feels like something you'll actually want to hold. The case lets your ring fingers sit on a shelf while your pointer digits handle the trigger and bumper buttons. The texture for each rubberized Joy-Con 2 cover keeps your hands from slipping off. With the Joy-Con 2 controllers detached, I didn't need to wrap my finger lengthwise around the SR button or mouse sensor like I typically do without the case. The only downside is that the Joy-Con 2 covers don't sit completely flush with the controllers. Since the controllers are more side-heavy, you'll want the covers to make easy use of mouse controls. The Joy-Con 2's slim design doesn't allow for a comfortable, ergonomic feel in mouse mode. With the grips on the Killswitch, my fingers found a much more amenable position whether I was swiping on my couch's armrest or the end table in front of me. By itself, the $60 Killswitch case makes the Switch 2 much bulkier than it is normally. It's so big, it won't fit into the official dock. The kit comes with an extra dock adapter you slip over the dock's USB-C port. To hook the Switch 2 up to a TV, you need to hover the handheld's exposed USB port over the male USB-C end and eyeball your unit until you can line it up correctly. It's an awkward way to fix a problem created by the case itself. You can keep the main plate off the Switch 2 if you intend to dock as you would normally. If you do, make sure you don't adhere the kickstand protector to the handheld. Even that small piece of plastic makes the Switch 2 too thick to fit into the dock. That also means if you plan to be traveling with the dock to a friend's house, you need to take the dock adapter, too. If you are going to be running around with the Switch 2, you'll also want to opt for the $80 Travel version of the case that comes with a large plastic cover and magnetically attached game card holder. The cover uses a bungee cord to wrap around the Killswitch case to hold everything in place, though you'll need to unlatch it to access the Switch 2's bottom USB-C port. The game card bandolier held onto my cards no matter how much it tumbled around in my backpack, though the magnets may be almost too strong, as it takes finger-straining force to remove it from the cover. All together, the Killswitch case makes the Switch 2 feel more comfortable to hold for longer. It also makes the device feel heavier, more than if you had merely stuck your device into a slim, felt-lined case. I haven't had the opportunity to check out Nintendo's official $40 Carry Case & Screen Protector or the company's $85 All-In-One case. As of writing this page, in order to get one, you have to register your interest with Nintendo, then hope you get called up to be the first to go hands-on. Thankfully, you have so many options if you would prefer something lighter. I've received $20 cases from both Snakebyte and Power-A for testing. If you can find them in stock, either one will serve you well with sturdy covers. Each has enough space for 10 game cards apiece. If it weren't for the need for a dock adapter, the Killswitch would be an easy case to recommend. The dock has caused havoc with other accessory makers' case designs. Genki also sent me its $50 Attack Vector case and grips, which could have made Nintendo's new console more ergonomic without needing a case. In that time, both I and other early users quickly identified an issue where the Attack Vector fits too snug inside the dock. This could potentially damage the screen if you force it down too hard into the slot. In an email, Genki related this to 'production-related issues' and said it was working on a new version to address those problems. We'll have to revisit Genki's alternative another time. If you're truly keen to protect your device, you'll also need a screen cover. Nintendo's Switch 2 comes stock with a thin plastic film over the glass screen. While this is designed to prevent your Switch 2's display from shattering into a thousand tiny pieces, it also leaves the device more scratch-prone than other, similar devices. It was the same problem with the display on the Switch OLED, which also used this plastic film. You're better off finding a screen protector for your Switch 2, and I've already tried several so you can get an idea which one is best. Genki sent along its $20 Aegis Shield protector, while Dbrand provided us with its $35 Prism 2.0 ($20 if you buy it alongside the Killswitch). Both offer very similar plastic plates to help you line up the screen protector with the Switch 2 display. You only need to clean the screen with a microfiber cloth and alcohol wipes, plant the plastic piece over the console, and then pull the slip of plastic film back to reveal the actual screen protector. Both work well enough, but depending on how straight you pull back on the internal protector, you may still be left with air bubbles you need to manually squeegee out. High-end accessories inevitably make the $450 Switch 2 cost more. Just remember, cheaper cases aren't necessarily worse. If you want a lightweight console, you'll want a case that's more mundane.
