[LINK] Half marathon including humanoid robots in Beijing last Saturday

Tue Apr 22 16:14:53 AEST 2025

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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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