Chinese robotics company Robot Era recently unveiled Star1, the world’s fastest bipedal robot capable of reaching and maintaining speeds of up to 8 mph (12.98 km/h).

Photos and videos of a sneaker-wearing robot running through the Gobi Desert went viral on Chinese social media last month, inspiring all sorts of humorous comments from the public, but few people realized they were watching the world’s fastest humanoid robot in action. Developed by Robot Era, a Chinese robotics company, STAR1 is powered by high-torque motors and AI algorithms and can tackle all sorts of surfaces and environments, including sand and grassland. Its advanced motors help the robot move efficiently, while high-speed sensors and communication modules let it process information about its surroundings in real-time, but what really helps put it above other bipedal robots in terms of speed is old-fashioned human footwear.

The STAR1 robot stand 5.6 feet tall, weighs around 143 pounds, and can run at a speed of 3.6 meters per second, making the fastest bipedal robot ever made. It’s important to note that Chinese scientists achieved this impressive speed by giving the robot a pair of running shoes, which turned out to make a big difference. In trials, the sneaker-wearing robot was considerably faster than its “barefoot” competitor. Even though it got off to a slower start, the sneaker-wearing robot managed the difficult terrain of the Gobi desert better and finished in front.

Star1 is currently faster than other advanced humanoid robots such as Tesla’s Optimus and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, as well as Unitree Robotics’ H1 robot, which the previous speed record (3.3m/s). But while the manufacturers of the three robots mentioned above focused on advanced sensors and complex motion algorithms, Robot Era made significant progress by optimizing running mechanics and using currently existing technologies like running shoes for improved grip.