More than 20 humanoid robots took to the streets of Beijing over the weekend for the world’s first half-marathon of its kind, Reuters reported.
While the machines offered a glimpse into China’s rising ambitions in robotics, they were unable to keep pace with their human counterparts.
The 21-kilometer event, staged in Beijing’s southeastern tech hub of Yizhuang, featured robots from top Chinese universities and companies.
Although designed with impressive engineering, the robots lagged well behind the 12,000 human participants. Tiangong Ultra, the best-performing android, crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 40 minutes, far behind even amateur runners.
The humanoid event was meant to showcase China's technological progress as it seeks to close the gap with the US and Europe in robotics.
Recent videos of Chinese robots performing athletic stunts have gone viral, and the government has labelled humanoid tech as a vital component of national innovation policy.
To complete the course, robots tackled mild slopes and sharp turns, often aided by human monitors jogging alongside. Some were tethered or remotely controlled to prevent falls. Robots were allowed to change batteries, and substitutions were permitted, with time penalties, for any that couldn’t finish.
Despite the robotic lag, observers were impressed. “I’m very impressed they managed within the time limit,” said Oregon State University’s Alan Fern to CNN. “There’s no clear leader in humanoid robotics yet.”
Tang Jian, CTO of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, praised his team’s creation. “Tiangong’s performance is unmatched in the West,” he claimed, noting the robot’s stride-mimicking algorithm and relatively low battery turnover.
The event underscores the divide between AI advancements and physical capabilities. While AI continues to raise questions about the future of work and security, the race reaffirmed that, for now, humans still dominate the running track.
Participants and spectators alike paused mid-race to snap pictures of the robotic competitors, amused and intrigued by this intersection of technology and athletics.
Haidilao says the incident occurred on Feb 24 but it only became aware of incident four days after it happened
Oreo's dog-dad escapes with thigh graze after fur-raising mishap triggered by four-legged shooter
Giant slab stamped with dozens of fossilised footprints dates to early Jurassic period some 200m years ago
Man "was in a state of intoxication, fell asleep along train tracks and did not feel the train coming," says official
Only one out of a billion people have facial hair condition, with only 50 such recorded cases since Middle Ages
Police release x-ray showing abdomen with a foreign object inside
