China hosts the world’s first half marathon with robotic humanoids
The brand-new real-world test aims to examine real-world applications of robots and compare them to human performance.
In a world-first for China, the country has announced that it will initiate a half-marathon including humanoid robots. The event will take place on April 13th, 2025, in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, known as “E-Town.”
The event will feature human runners and humanoid robots competing across the 21-kilometer course, with separate lanes for the robots themselves. Six robot teams have already committed to the new event, with early on-site road tests already conducted throughout March, per reports from the China Media Group (CMG).
Robot participants will make up a quarter of the field, with special lanes to separate human and robot runners, barriers, and green belts to ensure safety for both sides. Approximately seven aid stations will be installed to provide support.
Each of the six robotics teams will provide a whole team to allow the robots to undergo multiple battery replacements necessary to complete the course.
According to Wang Guolin, Deputy Head of the Robot Competition Group, “The aid stations mainly support participating teams by providing battery replacements, safety equipment, and auxiliary tools.”
Preliminary tests have already been conducted in advance of the event. In one of these tests, the leading humanoid robot finished the course in two hours and 52 minutes. Although these times are well below what a proficient human runner could accomplish, many of these robots were not actually designed for running or endurance activities.
The significance of this event cannot be ignored. Traditionally, humanoid robots have been tested in indoor environments under tight controls. Critics have long focused on the fact that the capabilities of robots often aren’t tested under real-world conditions. This prevents developers from stress-testing their machines under the dynamic conditions under which they would be expected to operate.
Wang went on to say, “The race can evaluate robots' locomotion capabilities, stability, posture, energy efficiency, and control algorithms. We hope that through this exchange, we can jointly promote the development of the embodied robotics industry.”
If the event is successful, it’s hoped that further events will be launched to test the capability of the growing robotics industry further. With fully automated robots becoming an ever greater presence, China has signaled to the world that it intends to be the world leader in this next-generation industry.
