Robo-Runners: Thousands of Humanoid Robots Join Half Marathon

In a single small step for robotickind—but involving thousands of robots—a race took place in Beijing where humanoids ran together with people in a half-marathon on Saturday.

The humanoid robots of different models and dimensions covered the 13.1-mile route with assistance from groups of human guides, controllers, and technicians, marking an inaugural occurrence as stated by the event’s coordinators.

To prevent any mishaps, a barrier was placed between the adjacent paths utilized by both the robots and humans.

As human participants adhered to standard regulations, the 20 teams competing with robots in the Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon had their own set of specific rules. These guidelines featured special provisions like designated areas for swapping batteries during the race.

The Sky Project Ultra bot, also referred to as Tien Kung Ultra and part of the Tien Kung team, emerged victorious amongst the non-human competitors, completing the race in two hours, forty minutes, and forty-two seconds.

Awards were additionally presented for outstanding endurance, top gait design, and the most inventive structure.