In an event held in China, humans and bipedal humanoid robots faced off for the first time on the same half marathon course. In the race, humans were clearly the winner. The unusual organization tested the durability of the robots and revealed that the human body still offers a standard that is difficult to reach.
A running race was held between robots and humans
The marathon was run on a 21-kilometer classic course. More than 20 bipedal robots participated in the race. These robots included models developed by universities, research centers and private technology companies.
The winner of the robot category of the race was the “Tiangong Ultra” developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. The robot completed the race in 2 hours and 40 minutes and had only three battery changes. However, this time was well behind the 1 hour and 2 minutes achieved by the winner in the human category.
Many robots received physical support during the run. While some robots walked with staff throughout the race, some were equipped with safety supports against the risk of falling. There were also robots that were controlled by remote control during the course.
Despite technical flexibility such as battery replacement and the use of spare hardware in some models, robots seem to be limited for now in the face of the natural durability and stability of the human body.
China defined humanoid robots as the “new frontier of technological competition” in an official document published in 2023. It is aimed to start mass production in this field and establish domestic supply chains for core components by 2025.
