In Beijing, in the Chinese mainland, history was made on Saturday as humanoid robots laced up for the world's first-ever half marathon. Over 21.0975 kilometers, 20 teamsfrom national-level research labs to private enterprises and universitiespushed the boundaries of AI and engineering.
The star of the show was the 180-centimeter-tall Tiangong Ultra. It crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, well behind the human champion's 1:02:00 but setting a new benchmark for robotic endurance. At the other end of the spectrum, the 75-centimeter-tall Little Giant showcased the diversity of design and strategy in this groundbreaking race.
Robots ran alongside human trainers who monitored performance, swapped batteries on the fly, and even staged relay-style robot handoffs. Teams navigated sharp turns, speed bumps, and uneven terrainchallenges that led to occasional technical glitches but highlighted rapid progress in autonomous mobility.
'This event is a heroic achievement in itself,' said Xiong Youjun, team leader for the Tiangong Ultra project. 'We faced everything from potholes to power hiccups, yet our robot completed the course. Every team here has propelled humanoid robotics into a new era.'
As AI and robotics continue to break new ground, this half marathon in the Chinese mainland marks a milestone in the quest to merge human ambition with machine capabilityone stride at a time.
Reference(s):
"Tiangong Ultra" wins world's first-ever humanoid robot half marathon
cgtn.com
