Watch: Robot races through China’s Gobi Desert while wearing sneakers

Chinese startup Robot Era’s Star1 humanoid robot recently raced through the Gobi Desert, showcasing its impressive capabilities.

A new video features two Star1 models — one running barefoot and the other donning sneakers — navigating diverse terrains in the desert, including rocky and grassy paths. Standing at 5.6 feet (170.7 centimeters) tall and weighing 143 pounds (64.9 kilograms), the Star1 reached a top speed of 8 miles (12.8 kilometers) per hour (3.6 meters per second), outperforming its closest competitor, Unitree’s H1 robot, which previously held the record at 7.4 miles (11.9 kilometers) per hour.

Powered by advanced motors and AI with processing power of up to 275 trillion operations per second, the Star1 can reportedly adapt seamlessly to challenging environments, indicating its potential for real-world applications.