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SportsFeature
Humanoid robots show rapid advances as they race past humans in Beijing half-marathon
TL;DR
Chinese humanoid robots showcased significant improvements by outpacing human runners in a Beijing half-marathon, with the fastest robot finishing in 2 hours 40 minutes. The number of participating robots increased from 20 to over 100 compared to last year.
Key points
- Humanoid robots improved their athleticism significantly.
- Over 100 robots participated in the half-marathon.
- The fastest robot finished in 2 hours 40 minutes.
Dozens of Chinese-made humanoid robots showed off their fast-improving athleticism as they whizzed past human runners in a half-marathon race in Beijing on Sunday, having lagged far behind a year earlier.
The race’s inaugural edition last year was riddled with mishaps, as many robots struggled to get off the starting line, and most were unable to finish.
The champion robot recorded a time of 2 hours 40 minutes, comfortably ahead of its machine rivals, but more than double the time of the human winner of the conventional race.
The contrast with this year was stark. Not only had the number of robots running increased from 20 to more than 100, but several vying for the podium were noticeably faster than the professional athletes racing in the human race.
The robots and humans ran in parallel tracks to avoid collisions.
The winning robot, developed by Honor, a well-known Chinese smartphone maker, finished the race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, several minutes faster than the world record set by Jacob Kiplimo last month in Lisbon, though the humanoid had to be helped back up just metres from the finish line after crashing into the railing.
A robot heads round the course in Beijing. Photograph: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images
While economically valuable applications of humanoid robots remain in trial phase, the marathon’s showcasing of these machines’ physical prowess highlights their potential to reshape everything from dangerous jobs to combat on the battlefield.
China has the goal of becoming a powerhouse in this frontier industry, and it has enacted a wide range of policies from subsidies to infrastructure projects to cultivate local firms.
China’s most-watched TV show, the annual CCTV Spring Festival gala, in February showcased the country’s push to dominate humanoid robots and the future of manufacturing.
That included a lengthy martial arts demonstration where over a dozen Unitree humanoids performed sophisticated fight sequences waving swords, poles and nunchucks in close proximity to human children performers.
Q&A
What was the fastest time recorded by a humanoid robot in the Beijing half-marathon?
The fastest humanoid robot recorded a time of 2 hours 40 minutes in the Beijing half-marathon.
How many humanoid robots participated in the Beijing half-marathon this year?
This year, more than 100 humanoid robots participated in the Beijing half-marathon.
How did the performance of humanoid robots in this year's race compare to last year's?
This year's performance was significantly better, as many robots that struggled last year were able to compete effectively and some were faster than human runners.