- Humanoid robots will compete against humans in a half-marathon in Beijing.
- The event aims to showcase advancements in humanoid robotics and AI.
- Robots must be humanoid without wheels; both remote-controlled and autonomous entries are allowed.
Experienced runners will tell you it takes months to train for a half-marathon, but what if what you’re racing against is literally made of steel?
On April 13, humanoid robots are set to compete in the first-ever half-marathon featuring both humans and humanoid robots racing against each other in Beijing. The Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, which is hosting the race, announced details for the event on Tuesday.
Robots participating in the race will have a roughly three-and-a-half-hour cutoff time to complete the track, Li Quan, deputy head of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, said at a press conference. The humanoid robots will race against 12,000 human runners, with the top three finishers — human or robot — receiving prizes.
Li said participating robots can receive awards in three categories: race completion, best endurance, and most popular robot. The robots running in the race will run in a separate lane.
“We hope that this event will not only showcase achievements in the humanoid robotics industry but also spark discussions and deepen the public’s understanding of robot capabilities, which will help accelerate industry development,” Li said.
Humanoid robots are evolving rapidly and becoming a common topic of discussion in the tech world. Some companies like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have partnered with humanoid robot companies to test their robots on factory lines. Last month, Texas-based humanoid robot make Apptronik announced a partnership with a supply chain company to have its humanoid robots eventually build themselves.
Robots entering the competition must be humanoid robots that do not use wheels, China’s International Center for Science and Technology Innovation said in a release. Both remote-controlled and fully autonomous robots are eligible for entry.
Li said at the press conference that participating robot teams can change out their robot’s batteries or change their robots out in a relay system. Each time a team changes out a robot, they will receive a ten-minute penalty for the race.
Registration for the event opens on March 11, and it is open to companies, research institutions, robot clubs, and universities around the world, the release said.
