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Today's Topics:
1. Half marathon including humanoid robots in Beijing last
Saturday (Antony Barry)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:14:53 +1000
From: Antony Barry <[email protected]>
To: Link list <[email protected]>
Subject: [LINK] Half marathon including humanoid robots in Beijing
last Saturday
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I saw an interesting brief report of the above and asked Perplexity AI to find
out more. It reported the following (in markdown) -
## Background: Beijing?s First Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon
On Saturday, April 19, 2025, Beijing hosted the world?s first humanoid robot
half-marathon, a landmark event that saw 21 bipedal robots compete alongside
12,000 human runners in the city?s southeastern Yizhuang district, a hub for
technology enterprises[1][5][7]. The 21-kilometer (13.1-mile) race was part of
the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and was designed both as a technological
showcase and a test of endurance, stability, and adaptability for humanoid
robots[3][4].
## Race Format and Rules
- **Separate Lanes:** Robots ran in a parallel lane, separated from human
participants for safety and logistical reasons[1][2][8].
- **Human Support:** Each robot was accompanied by handlers or operators, who
could intervene for safety or technical support. Some robots required physical
assistance, and a few were tethered or remotely controlled[1][6][9].
- **Battery Swaps:** Robots were allowed to stop for battery changes, similar
to pit stops in motorsports. Teams could also substitute their robots if
necessary, but each swap incurred a 10-minute penalty[1][3].
- **Awards:** Prizes were given not only for completion but also for best
endurance, best gait design, and most innovative form[2][6][8].
## Performance of the Robots
- **Completion Rate:** Out of 21 robots, only six managed to finish the full
half-marathon distance[4][7].
- **Winning Robot:** The standout performer was **Tiangong Ultra**, developed
by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center (a joint venture involving
UBTECH, Xiaomi, and others)[3][4][5]. Tiangong Ultra completed the course in 2
hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, requiring three battery swaps along the
way[1][3][4][7][8].
- **Speed and Challenges:** Tiangong Ultra maintained a pace of 7?8 km/h, well
below elite human runners. The robot encountered obstacles such as battery
management, stability on varied terrain (including slopes and gravel), and the
need for human support to prevent falls[1][3][4][6][9].
- **Other Entrants:** Not all robots fared well. Several stumbled at the start,
with viral footage showing some falling over or crashing into barriers,
sometimes even taking their human handlers down with them[2][8]. Only a
minority finished within the human cutoff time of 3 hours and 10 minutes[7].
## Firms and Robots Involved
- **Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center:** Developer of the winning
Tiangong Ultra, a 1.8-meter-tall, 55-kilogram robot with advanced joint design
and air-cooling systems[3][4][5].
- **Noetix Robotics:** Showcased the N2, a 3-foot-tall, 40-pound humanoid
robot[2].
- **Unitree Robotics:** Their G1 model, standing over 4 feet tall and weighing
nearly 80 pounds, was present at the event. However, Unitree later clarified
that their robot was not an official entrant in the race, and the one that fell
at the start was operated by a third party[2][3].
- **Other Teams:** The event attracted about 20 teams from Chinese
universities, enterprises, and research institutions, each fielding robots with
unique designs and features[3][4][5].
## Significance and Industry Context
The race was a public demonstration of China?s ambitions in humanoid robotics,
reflecting government policy that identifies this sector as a "new frontier in
technological competition" with aims for mass production and robust supply
chains by 2025[1][4]. While the robots lagged far behind human runners, the
event marked a coming-of-age moment for the field, testing real-world
capabilities such as energy efficiency, motion control, and environmental
perception[3][4].
## Summary Table: Key Details
| Robot/Firm | Robot Name/Model | Height/Weight |
Result/Notes |
|-------------------------------------|-------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center | Tiangong Ultra | 1.8m / 55kg
| Winner, 2:40:42, 3 battery swaps |
| Noetix Robotics | N2 | ~0.9m / ~18kg |
Participated, did not win |
| Unitree Robotics | G1 | ~1.2m / ~36kg |
Not officially entered, fell at start|
| Other Chinese firms/institutions | Various | Various
| 21 robots entered, 6 finished |
## Conclusion
The Beijing humanoid robot half-marathon was a milestone for robotics,
highlighting both technological progress and current limitations. While robots
remain far from matching elite human athletes, the event demonstrated
significant advances in mobility, endurance, and real-world applicability, with
Tiangong Ultra leading the field and signaling China?s growing capabilities in
this emerging sector[1][3][4][5][7].
Sources
[1] Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half ...
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/19/asia/china-first-humanoid-robot-half-marathon-intl-hnk/index.html
[2] Humanoid robots tripped and fell and took down a handler during a
half-marathon in Beijing
https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-humanoid-robots-half-marathon-beijing-china-2025-4
[3] Beijing hosts world?s first half-marathon for humanoid robots, Tiangong
Ultra wins in two hours 40 minutes
https://technode.com/2025/04/21/beijing-hosts-worlds-first-half-marathon-for-humanoid-robots-tiangong-ultra-wins-in-two-hours-40-minutes/
[4] Robot half-marathon puts innovations to the test
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202504/21/WS68057e9fa3104d9fd38207c2.html
[5] China pits humanoid robots against humans in half-marathon
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-pits-humanoid-robots-against-humans-half-marathon-2025-04-19/
[6] Humanoid robots compete in half-marathon in China on Saturday
https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2025/04/21/humanoid-robot-half-marathon-china/
[7] Results of the Human Versus Robot Half Marathon in Beijing - iRunFar
https://www.irunfar.com/results-of-the-human-vs-robot-half-marathon-humans-still-tops
[8] Are humanoid robots faster than actual humans? China finds out in ...
https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/04/21/are-humanoid-robots-faster-than-actual-humans-china-finds-out-in-first-half-marathon-race
[9] Robots run a half-marathon, slowly - TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/19/robots-run-a-half-marathon-slowly/
[10] Humanoid Robots Run Half Marathon in Beijing - Bloomberg.com
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2025-04-19/humanoid-robots-run-half-marathon-in-beijing-video
[11] Beijing Marathon 2025 - All the information about the race and ...
https://www.finishers.com/en/event/beijing-marathon
[12] Watch: China races robots in Beijing half marathon - BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/ce8gz5vl2z1o
[13] Humans outrun robots at Beijing half-marathon
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/4/19/humans-outrun-robots-at-beijing-half-marathon
[14] China pits humanoid robots against humans in half-marathon - CNA
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-beijing-robots-human-runners-half-marathon-robotics-5075201
[15] China hosts world's first half-marathon race between humans and ...
https://news.sky.com/story/china-hosts-worlds-first-half-marathon-race-between-humans-and-robots-13351485
[16] China's humanoid robot half marathon winner wants to be 'Android ...
https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3307165/chinas-humanoid-robot-half-marathon-winner-wants-be-android-robotics
[17] Beijing's robot half-marathon puts innovations to the test
https://asianews.network/beijings-robot-half-marathon-puts-innovations-to-the-test/
[18] Humanoid robots run alongside humans in Beijing half-marathon for ...
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/tech/tech-news/humanoid-robots-run-alongside-humans-in-beijing-half-marathon-for-the-first-time-4875986.html
[19] Stumbling and Overheating, Most Humanoid Robots Fail to ... - WIRED
https://www.wired.com/story/beijing-half-marathon-humanoid-robots/
[20] Humanoid Robots Just Raced Alongside Human Runners in a ...
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humanoid-robots-just-raced-alongside-human-runners-in-a-world-first-half-marathon-heres-how-it-went-180986469/
[21] China pits humanoid robots against humans in half-marathon
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-pits-humanoid-robots-against-humans-in-half-marathon
[22] "Tiangong Ultra" clinched the WORLD'S FIRST humanoid robot half ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kAIf0qPA3Q
[23] Global spotlight on Beijing as humanoid robots run half marathon,
garnering wide attention https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332484.shtml
[24] "Tiangong Ultra" clinched the World's first humanoid robot half ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/singularity/comments/1k2t8ya/tiangong_ultra_clinched_the_worlds_first_humanoid/
[25] Beijing Half Marathon, 20 Apr, 2025 (Sun) - Ahotu
https://www.ahotu.com/event/beijing-half-marathon
[26] Robots compete with humans in world's first humanoid half-marathon
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/19/world/video/robots-humans-half-marathon-beijing-digvid
[27] Robots race against humans for first time in Beijing half-marathon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08YiK6VJxZs
Tony
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