'Top-tier Robot Technology' Gains Attention... China to Host World's First Marathon Competition

To Be Held in Yizhuang, Beijing on April 13
Humanoid Robots to Run the Same Course as Human Athletes

Beijing, China, will host the world's first humanoid robot half marathon next month.

Humanoid robot appearing as a marathon pacemaker. Photo by Yonhap News

Chinese media, including Shangguan News, reported on the 6th that Beijing plans to hold a marathon race between humans and humanoid robots simultaneously on April 13 in Yizhuang (亦莊), a national-level economic and technological development zone in the southeast. The humanoid robots will start from the same starting line as human runners and run the same course of 21.0975 km. However, for safety reasons, the tracks for human runners and robots will be separated.

Only humanoid robots with a human-like appearance can participate in the competition, and the race time is limited to 3 hours and 30 minutes. During the race, robots are allowed to replace their batteries or switch to another robot to participate in a relay format. However, if a robot is replaced, a penalty of 10 minutes will be added to the running time. The robots' rankings will be determined based on a comprehensive evaluation of finishing time and the number of robot replacements.

Yizhuang in Beijing, where the marathon will be held, is known as a major robot industry cluster in China. In November last year, Beijing also held a marathon in Yizhuang, where the humanoid robot "Tiangong (天工)" appeared as a pacemaker in the final section and crossed the finish line together with the runners, attracting attention.

Earlier, in January, 16 humanoid robots appeared on China Central Television (CCTV)'s Lunar New Year special broadcast, performing traditional dances from northern China alongside 16 dancers, creating a huge sensation. At that time, Unitree (宇樹科技)'s humanoid robot "H1" flawlessly performed difficult moves such as spinning and catching a handkerchief, raising awareness that China's humanoid robot technology had reached a high level and drawing global attention.

Since then, various videos showcasing new humanoid robot technologies have been attracting attention online every day in China. Last month, a humanoid robot imitating a traffic police officer was spotted on a street in Beijing, moving its arms up and down and side to side to guide pedestrians at a crosswalk, becoming a hot topic. Additionally, Engine AI, a company in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, released footage of a humanoid robot jumping and doing somersaults in the air, catching the public's eye.