Running robots cross the finish line like champs, slug it out in boxing bouts and have a kick-about on the football pitch – all in incredible footage from Beijing's Second World Humanoid Robot Games.

They also wield table tennis paddles and, yes, pick up beans with tweezers.

One robot used wearable motion-capture gear to mirror its handler's movements in real time. Its operator said it could reproduce his movements with about 80-90% accuracy, showing how robots are getting better at both powerful movements and delicate tasks.

The five-day event features 2,056 robots from 16 countries and regions.