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Ping-Pong Competition Added to 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games
The Hitch Open Ping-Pong Embodied AI Challenge has been selected as an official event at the Second World Humanoid Robot Games. The competition will take place in August 2026 at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing.
Japan TimesAudio version
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The 2026 Hitch Open Ping-Pong Embodied AI Challenge has been added to the Second World Humanoid Robot Games as an official competition. The event will occur August 22–26 at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing. The challenge was created by the Intelligent Racing Foundation as part of the Hitch Open World AI Championships.
Organizers said the addition moves the competition from laboratory demonstrations to an international stage.
The Second World Humanoid Robot Games are co-hosted by the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, China Media Group, the World Robot Cooperation Organization, and the RoboCup Asia-Pacific Confederation Board of Trustees. The program runs five days and focuses on autonomous, dexterous, and practical robot performance.
The inaugural edition of the Games drew 280 teams and more than 500 humanoid robots from 16 countries. The 2026 edition expands the event to include table tennis as a test of robot vision, decision-making, and movement. The Beijing Municipal Government announced the ping-pong competition at the second press conference of the Second World Humanoid Robot Games.
