Beijing: In a landmark event blending tech with athletics, more than 20 two-legged humanoid robots participated in the world’s first robot half-marathon in Beijing’s Yizhuang district on Saturday. The race, while impressive, showed that robots still lag behind human runners—for now.
The event saw robots from various Chinese tech companies and universities compete alongside 12,000 human runners, showcasing China’s drive to catch up with U.S. advancements in humanoid robotics. The 21-kilometer course included gentle slopes and turns, challenging the androids’ balance and endurance.
Tiangong Ultra, created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, emerged as the fastest robot, finishing in 2 hours and 40 minutes. Though far behind the human winner’s time of 1 hour and 2 minutes, the feat was hailed as a milestone. Chief Technology Officer Tang Jian claimed Tiangong matched, if not surpassed, Western robotic capabilities in terms of mobility and efficiency.
During the race, robots were allowed battery swaps, and teams could substitute their models—each replacement costing a 10-minute penalty. Many robots needed assistants to run beside them to prevent falls, and some used leashes or remote controls for balance.
The event comes amid China’s broader plan to mass-produce humanoids by 2025, with support from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which has labeled the field a critical frontier in global tech rivalry.
Despite AI’s rapid evolution, Saturday’s race was a reminder: when it comes to physical endurance, humans still lead the pack.
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