If the thought of robots taking up people in a highway race conjures dystopian photos of android athletic supremacy, then concern not, for now at the very least.
Greater than 20 two-legged robots competed on this planet’s first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – although technologically spectacular – they had been removed from outrunning their human masters over the lengthy distance.
Groups from a number of firms and universities took half within the race, a showcase of China’s advances on humanoid expertise because it performs catch-up with the US, which nonetheless boasts the extra subtle fashions.
And the chief of the successful staff stated their robotic – although bested by the people on this explicit race – was a match for comparable fashions from the West, at a time when the race to good humanoid expertise is hotting up.
Coming in quite a lot of styles and sizes, the robots jogged via Beijing’s southeastern Yizhuang district, dwelling to lots of the capital’s tech corporations.
Over the previous few months, movies of China’s humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and facet flips have blown up the web, typically amplified by state media as a key potential driver of financial progress.
In a 2023 coverage doc, China’s Ministry of Trade and Data Know-how recognized the humanoid robotics trade as a “new frontier in technological competitors,” setting a 2025 goal for mass manufacturing and safe provide chains for core parts.
A robotic loses management at first of what’s billed because the world’s first robotic half marathon in Beijing, Chaina, on April 19, 2025. – Ng Han Guan/AP
Fears have mounted lately about how synthetic intelligence – and robots – could someday outsmart people.
And whereas AI fashions are quick gaining floor, sparking concern for the whole lot from safety to the way forward for work, Saturday’s race instructed that people nonetheless at the very least have the higher hand in relation to operating.
The robots had been pitted towards 12,000 human contestants, operating facet by facet with them in a fenced-off lane.
After setting off from a rustic park, taking part robots needed to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit earlier than they might attain the end line, in line with state-run outlet Beijing Day by day.
Simply as human runners wanted to replenish themselves with water, robotic contestants had been allowed to get new batteries throughout the race. Corporations had been additionally allowed to swap their androids with substitutes once they might not compete, although every substitution got here with a 10-minute penalty.
The primary robotic throughout the end line, Tiangong Extremely – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robotic Innovation Middle – completed the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That’s almost two hours in need of the human world document of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the boys’s race on Saturday completed in 1 hour and a pair of minutes.
Robots participate in what’s billed because the world’s first robotic half marathon throughout the Humanoid Robotic Half-Marathon held in Beijing, China, on April 19, 2025. – Ng Han Guan/AP
Tang Jian, chief expertise officer for the robotics innovation heart, stated Tiangong Extremely’s efficiency was aided by lengthy legs and an algorithm permitting it to mimic how people run a marathon.
“I don’t need to boast however I believe no different robotics corporations within the West have matched Tiangong’s sporting achievements,” Tang stated, in line with the Reuters information company, including that the robotic switched batteries simply thrice throughout the race.
The 1.8-meter robotic got here throughout a number of challenges throughout the race, which concerned the a number of battery modifications. It additionally wanted a helper to run alongside it together with his arms hovering round his again, in case of a fall.
Many of the robots required this sort of help, with a number of tied to a leash. Some had been led by a distant management.
Novice human contestants operating within the different lane had no problem maintaining, with the curious amongst them taking out their telephones to seize the robotic encounters as they raced alongside.
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