Robots participate in a half marathon at a slow pace

21 humanoid robots ran Beijing's half-marathon, with Tiangong Ultra winning in 160 mins.

: Beijing's E-Town tech hub hosted the first humanoid half-marathon, featuring 21 humanoid robots and thousands of humans. Tiangong Ultra, from X-Humanoid, won in two hours and 40 minutes, with human-assisted guidance and battery changes. Only four robots finished under four hours; incidents like Shennong tripping and Little Giant emitting smoke occurred. The event highlighted challenges in humanoid robotics, drawing interest from tech companies and students.

The inaugural humanoid half-marathon in Beijing's E-Town technology center showcased an emerging frontier in robotics, where 21 humanoid robots raced alongside human participants. While these robots brought notable interest, they also illustrated the significant technical challenges that must be overcome to rival human capabilities in such athletic endeavors. The event was attended by a diverse collection of competitors, including machines built by Chinese firms and university student groups, demonstrating the widespread interest and investment in robotics innovation.

The winning robot, named Tiangong Ultra and developed by the X-Humanoid research institute, finished the half-marathon in two hours and 40 minutes. Compared to its human counterparts, Tiangong’s performance was less impressive, as the men's race winner clocked in at one hour and two minutes. Tiangong Ultra utilized a human runner with a signaling device to lead and guide its movements. This method, part of a broader range of human assistive measures employed during the race, underscored the nascent stage of humanoid robot athleticism.

Tiangong Ultra's accomplishment required three battery changes during the race and capitalized on a rule allowing substitute robots at the cost of a time penalty. Despite these compensations, only four robots completed the half-marathon under the four-hour cutoff, signifying the endurance limits currently facing humanoid robotic technology. Other participants, such as the Shennong robot, experienced difficulties—Shennong tripped over its human guide and collided with a fence, resulting in its destruction.

The event spotlighted the fragility and unpredictability of current humanoid robotic systems. Little Giant, another competitor, suffered a malfunction where smoke was seen emanating from its head. Technology failures such as Unitree’s G1 robot plateaued at the starting line due to client misuse of its algorithms, thus reflecting teething troubles in the field.

Tang Jiang, X-Humanoid's Chief Technology Officer, expressed optimism about their robot's achievements, suggesting that Western firms have yet to match such athletic feats. His comment highlights the competitive global landscape in robotics research and development. Overall, this event served as both a celebration and a critical assessment of the current state of humanoid robotics, emphasizing the considerable distance these machines need to cover before approaching human performance.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

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