Humanoid Robots Struggle in World’s First Half-Marathon
Humanoid robots faced a tough challenge at Beijing’s E-Town tech hub during the world’s first humanoid half-marathon, falling short of human runners.
The event, which took place on Saturday, saw 21 humanoid robots competing against thousands of human participants. The winning robot, Tiangong Ultra, developed by X-Humanoid, completed the race in two hours and 40 minutes. While this may seem like an impressive feat, the winning human runner finished the half-marathon in just one hour and two minutes.
Tiangong Ultra required human assistance to secure victory, with a runner leading the way with a signaling device to guide the robot’s movements. In contrast, most other robots were controlled remotely by operators running alongside them.
The majority of robots struggled to finish the race within the four-hour cutoff time, with only four managing to cross the finish line in time. Some robots encountered mishaps, such as Shennong tripping a support runner and crashing into a fence, while Little Giant paused with smoke emanating from its head.
Participants in the Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon included robots from Chinese companies and student groups. The competition required robots to have a humanoid appearance and run on two legs, with separate lanes and staggered start times to prevent collisions with human runners.
Battery changes were permitted during the race, with Tiangong Ultra requiring three battery swaps. Additionally, teams could substitute robots with a time penalty if needed.
X-Humanoid’s Chief Technology Officer Tang Jiang expressed confidence in Tiangong Ultra’s performance, stating, “I think no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong’s sporting achievements.”
