In a futuristic twist on conventional athletics, humanoid robots ran to maintain up with people at what organizers known as the world’s first half marathon in Beijing on Saturday.
The 21-km course wound by way of the town’s Yizhuang district, with greater than 10,000 human members and robotic contenders from 20 firms and analysis establishments.
The robotic Tiangong Ultra crossed the end line in slightly over 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Despite giving all of it its circuits might deal with, Tiangong Ultra was left within the mud by the quickest human finisher, who crossed the road in a brisk 1:11.07.
Barriers separated the robots’ operating observe from their human rivals.
Engineers had been allowed to make changes to their high-tech protégés alongside the best way with support stations particularly for robots, though these interventions got here with time penalties. Instead of water and snacks, the stations offered batteries and technical instruments.
The race was thought-about extra of a technical demonstration, and no robotic had an actual probability of profitable general.
To qualify, robots needed to meet sure standards – most notably, they wanted two legs. As seen in a broadcast on Chinese state tv, some robots did not take even a single step, whereas others shuffled so slowly that their engineers might casually stroll behind them.
So was this extensively publicized occasion simply all for present?
“Events like this do test the practical capabilities of humanoids,” mentioned Maren Bennewitz, a robotics professor on the University of Bonn. “It’s not just about the hardware – the software must also allow the robot to perceive its environment and react accordingly, whether to the terrain or nearby competitors.”
But others see the race as largely symbolic. “In my opinion, the half marathon in Beijing is clearly a PR stunt to demonstrate China’s technological excellence,” mentioned Daniel Rixen, professor of utilized mechanics on the Technical University of Munich.
Rixen famous the hurdles of getting humanoid robots full a half marathon: they should be energy-efficient, strong, and able to dynamically navigating an extended course with out toppling over. Precise movement planning and stability are vital.
The race additionally carried geopolitical undertones. It comes amid an ongoing technological rivalry between China and the United States, significantly in synthetic intelligence and robotics. American firms reminiscent of Figure AI, Tesla, Agility Robotics, and Boston Dynamics are racing to develop superior AI with lifelike motion and cognitive skills.
China, nevertheless, is decided to indicate it is pulling forward. “China has built up a technological lead in humanoids,” Rixen mentioned, crediting a fast-moving home trade able to producing state-of-the-art robots at aggressive prices.
Beijing has made robotics a nationwide precedence. The improvement of superior humanoids is now a part of the federal government’s 2025 coverage agenda. Earlier this yr, the Chinese AI agency DeepSeek made headlines with a reported breakthrough in generative AI, drawing vital consideration at residence and overseas.
At the National People’s Congress in March, officers pledged extra funding for future-focused applied sciences, together with “embodied AI,” a subject that blends bodily robotics with cognitive computing.
Sate media routinely highlights robotic developments, and the tech is on real-life show, too.
In one Beijing park, dog-like, four-legged patrol bots now help police. Equipped with multispectral cameras and high-precision sensors, they symbolize “the latest innovation in Beijing’s ongoing efforts to build a smart city,” based on the state-run news company Xinhua.
Source: www.dailysabah.com