In a groundbreaking event blending science fiction with real-world innovation, dozens of humanoid robots joined thousands of human runners on Saturday to compete in the world’s first humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing.
Held in the city’s E-Town — a high-tech manufacturing zone backed by the Chinese government — the 21-kilometre (13-mile) race aimed to test the limits of bipedal robots in real-world outdoor conditions.
To the beat of the Chinese pop song “I Believe,” the robots stepped forward one by one at the starter’s gun, while curious human participants and spectators lined the sidelines, phones in hand to capture the moment.
There were dramatic moments — one small robot toppled over and lay motionless before rising to cheers, while another, looking like a Transformer and powered by propellers, crashed into a barrier and accidentally knocked down an engineer.
“Getting on the track might seem minor for humans, but it’s a giant leap for humanoid robots,” said Liang Liang, deputy director of Beijing E-Town’s management committee. Engineers ran alongside their robots, fine-tuning performance in real-time.
With around 20 teams from across China participating, the robots varied widely in size — from 75 to 180 centimetres tall and up to 88 kilograms in weight. Some moved autonomously; others were remotely guided, with designated lanes separating machines from humans.
The focus wasn’t on speed or competition, but on resilience and engineering. “This is a huge boost for the robotics industry,” said Cui Wenhao, a 28-year-old engineer from Noetix Robotics. “It’s a serious test for the batteries, motors, structures, and even the algorithms.”
Cui revealed that one of their robots had been training by running a half-marathon daily at a pace of seven minutes per kilometre. “We’ve got a backup robot ready, just in case,” he added.
Kong Yichang, 25, from DroidUp, emphasized the long-term potential: “This event lays the groundwork for future humanoid robot activities. It shows they can begin to function alongside humans in everyday society.”
As China ramps up efforts to lead in AI and robotics, events like this underscore its ambition to rival — and possibly overtake — global competitors like the United States. From cost-efficient chatbots to televised performances by dancing robots, China’s technological innovation is accelerating on all fronts.
AFP Report
