China: Robots race to unpack boxes at Humanoid Robot Games, showcasing delicate manipulation.

Shotlist Beijing, China - Aug 24, 2026 1. Various of robot unpacking competition in progress, competitors, referees, spectators 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Ruichao, competitor (ending with shot 3): "My robot completed just one box in the preliminary round, but managed six today. We train hard every day because the precision requirements are extremely high. After cutting the tape, the robot has to open all four sides of the box so the item falls out naturally." 3. Various of Wang Ruichao, competitor, other competitors, controlling robots to unpack boxes 4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Shilong, chief referee (starting with shot 3/ending with shot 5): "The hardest part is pushing out the blade of the knife. That motion alone is very difficult. During cutting, grip strength and sensitivity vary, and incidents can happen. For example, the knife can slip. In face of such circumstances, the robot has to reposition it properly, which tests its force-control sensing." 5. Various of robot unpacking competition in progress 6. Various of spectators Storyline A robot unpacking competition at the 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing concluded on Monday, putting contestants' delicate manipulation skills to the test. As a sub-discipline of the dedicated competition for dexterous-hand, the unpacking challenge required robots to use a utility knife to slice through the sealing tape on express delivery boxes and remove the contents, all without damaging the items or significantly tearing the boxes. Scores were based on how many boxes each robot could successfully open within five minutes. "My robot completed just one box in the preliminary round, but managed six today. We train hard every day because the precision requirements are extremely high. After cutting the tape, the robot has to open all four sides of the box so the item falls out naturally," said Wang Ruichao, a member of a competition team Though simple for human, the task is deceptively demanding for robots to handle on their own. With a narrow blade and small handle, the utility knife requires stable multi-finger gripping and the ability to align a blade just 0.5 millimeters thick against the tape. That pushes robots to demonstrate not only object recognition and precise control, but also bimanual coordination and multi-step planning, experts said. "The hardest part is pushing out the blade of the knife. That motion alone is very difficult. During cutting, grip strength and sensitivity vary, and incidents can happen. For example, the knife can slip. In face of such circumstances, the robot has to reposition it properly, which tests its force-control sensing," said chief referee Wang Shilong. From picking up the knife and extending the blade to completing the cut, the routine demands comprehensive control of force, angle, and precision, as well as deep coordination between robotic arms and intelligent algorithms. Industry insiders noted that skills tested in such tasks are expected to find wider use in logistics sorting, precision instrument assembly, and other real-world scenarios where humanoid robots can add practical value. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]