Robots compete for humans for the first time in the human half marathon – Country
There have been a lot of developments in robotics in recent months, but the latest step is one more step, actually thousands of steps, as human robots run with the actual humans of the Chinese half marathon.
The bipedal robot of various brands and sizes was held in a 21.1km course in Beijing on April 19 and supported by a team of human navigators, operators and engineers, which event organizers called the first. As a precaution, a divider separates parallel lessons used by robots and humans.
While 12,000 human participants followed the conventional rules and needed to dock at the water station, 20 teams of 21 machines were conducted under tailored guidance, including the battery swap pit stop.
When the company can no longer compete, the company is also allowed to exchange its Android with alternatives, but each replacement will fine the robot 10 minutes for the last time.
Although you might think of it, robots don’t surpass humans in long marathons and can see many people fall and need help to regain their “foot.”
A robot ran a few meters and hit the railing, which caused its human operator to fall.
A robot lost control because it participated in the humanoid robot half marathon in Beijing on April 19, 2025.
Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images
Support was provided by support staff at the start of E-Town Humoid Half-Marathon in Beijing, China on April 19, 2025. According to the organizers, the event is the first of its kind and features 21 humanoid robot runners.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
The Sky Project Ultra robot (also known as Tien Kung Ultra of the Tien Kung Fu team) won the championship among non-humans and crossed the finish line in two hours and 40 minutes.
Robot participant Tien Kung Ultra competes with engineers at a half marathon in Beijing, China on April 19, 2025.
Li Xin/Xinhua by Getty Images
Teen Kung Fu was nearly two hours longer than the winner of the men's race, who completed the marathon in one hour and two minutes – but according to the Associated Press, it was still an attempt in January when the robot took eight hours to complete the 21.1km race.
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Tang Jian, chief technology officer of the Robot Center, said long legs and algorithms allow it to mimic how humans compete in marathons.
“I don't want to brag, but I don't think there is any other robot company in the West that matches Tiandong's sports achievements,” Gian told Reuters, adding that the robot switched the battery only three times in the game.
Awards recognize the best endurance, best gait design and the most innovative form.
The first place of the second N2 Humanoid robot developed by Noetix Robotics is in Beihai Robot, the X02-Lite Humanoid Robot developed by Shanghai Robotics Co., Ltd., was seen at the Begee e-Town E-Town Half-Marathon and 2025 at the Beihai e-town e-town e-town e-town awards ceremony, after the Beihai Electronics Town Half-Marathon and the Northern Human Robotics Half-Marathon on April 19, and the 2025 year after the Beihai Electronics Town Half-Marathon. The robot was placed for the first time.
Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images
Many viewers shared videos of the robot on social media.
The first-ever humanoid robot half marathon is featured with some new dance moves a month after Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot demonstrated its latest developments.
In a video released by Boston Dynamics on March 19, the company showed off its latest robot, Atlas, breaking it with some leg combinations and ending with wheels. The robot demonstrates the use of enhanced learning as well as references for human motion capture and animation.
The Massachusetts-based robotics company (known for videos showing robots dancing, pulling Santa’s sled, and even showing off how to parkour) – shared a video on YouTube showing how Atlas turned a handstand into a reflection and crawled on the ground (although crawls can use some improvements).
Atlas is “designed for real-world applications” and is the freshest iteration of the company’s human robotics and its first fully electric model. Early versions of the map atlas were hydraulically powered.
– Documents with the Associated Press and Reuters
& Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
