China’s Zhejiang University on Tuesday (August 12) said that its quadruped robot, named White Rhino, had completed a 100-metre sprint in 16.33 seconds, breaking the previous world record of 19.87 seconds set by a robot named Hound from South Korea.

This achievement, notably, is a new Guinness World Record for the fastest 100-metre time by a quadruped robot.

The current world record for 100-metre sprint by a human being is 9.58 seconds, set by Usain Bolt in 2009 in Berlin.

White Rhino was developed jointly by the university’s Center for X-Mechanics, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center.

The record was set at a test site in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province.

“This was a very demanding goal,” said Professor Wang Hongtao, the project leader. He explained that the 100-meter sprint not only tests the robot’s explosive power and speed, but also examines the robot’s stability and precise control in conducting rapid movements. “More importantly, it allows us to determine if we are on the right research path.”

The core technological breakthrough of White Rhino lies in a comprehensive optimisation methodology known as robot forward design.

Conceptually, this approach involves a priori simulation of the dynamics across each joint and actuator within diverse operational contexts to identify a globally optimal solution — rather than applying iterative, “patchwork” modifications to a pre-existing structural design. The research team established a precise dynamic model and employed multi-objective optimisation algorithms to coordinately adjust the robot’s geometric proportions, motor specifications and reduction systems.

This “design-for-performance” philosophy from the ground up endowed White Rhino with a robust hardware foundation. Regarding its power system, the Center for X-Mechanics independently developed a set of high-power-density joint actuators capable of delivering both high torque output and rapid response — akin to equipping White Rhino with a “racing-grade” muscular system. The robot’s intelligent motion capabilities, meanwhile, are enabled by a dynamic control strategy derived from reinforcement learning.

“Most notably, its maximum load is 100 kilograms, making it a quadruped robot capable of both high-speed running and heavy-load performance,” said Dr. Cheng Shaowen, a team member.

In the future, White Rhino is expected to be applied to a variety of fields — ranging from disaster rescue to transportation in extreme terrain, thereby extending its capabilities from “running fast” to “running usefully,” Cheng added.