Humanoid Robots Compete in Beijing Half Marathon: A Milestone in AI and Robotics

Stumbling and Overheating, Most Humanoid Robots Fail to Finish Half Marathon in Beijing

Only six of the 21 robots in the race crossed the finish line, highlighting just how far humanoids are from keeping up with their real human counterparts. On Saturday, about 12,000 human athletes ran in a half marathon race in Beijing, but most of the attention was on a group of other, unconventional participants: 21 humanoid robots. The event's organizers, which included several branches of Beijing's municipal government, claim it's the first time humans and bipedal robots have run in the same race, though they jogged on separate tracks. Six of the robots successfully finished the course, but they were unable to keep up with the speed of the humans. The fastest robot, Tiangong Ultra, developed by Chinese robotics company UBTech in collaboration with the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, finished the race in two hours and 40 minutes after assistants changed its batteries three times and it fell down once. The slowest time allowed for human runners in the race was 3 hours and 10 minutes, and Tiangong Ultra was the only robot that barely qualified for a human participation award. Most of the humanoid participants didn't stay in the game for long and disappeared from the live broadcast soon after they took off from the starting line. Alan Fern, a robotics professor at Oregon State University, tells WIRED that researchers who build these robots typically focus on trying to get them to complete tasks and respond coherently in a diverse range of different environments, rather than run as fast as possible. Fern adds that the AI technology used in humanoids hasn't progressed very much since 2021, when his team sent a bipedal robot to run a 5k race. What the race does demonstrate, he says, is how robust humanoid hardware has become. "Until five years ago or so, we didn't really know how to get robots to walk reliably. And now we do, and this will be a good demonstration of that," he told WIRED on Thursday before the race took place. His team's robot fell twice during the 2021 5k run, once due to operator error and another due to overheating. "The impressive thing about going from a 5k to a half marathon is really a hardware robustness problem. And you know, I'll be surprised if one of these companies makes it through without replacing the robot," he says. Fern's predictions were totally right. On Saturday, almost every robot fell down and faced overheating problems, prompting their operators to switch them out for new replacements. While the event did generate a lot of interest and pride among Chinese people -- many human runners stopped to take selfies with Tiangong Ultra when they saw it -- it also showed the reality and limitations of China's humanoid robot industry. Impressive looking humanoid robots developed by several Chinese companies have made international headlines this year. One robot firm called Unitree, for example, went viral in January after it sent an army of robots to perform synchronized dances during China's Spring Festival gala on state TV. Unitree didn't officially participate in the race, but two of its robots were still running the half marathon while being operated by other institutions. (One of its robots fell on the ground before reaching the starting line and struggled to stand up quickly.)

This video of humanoid robots running a half marathon is amazing, hilarious, and a little creepy

Despite lost limbs, overheating, and a crash or two, a few of the 20 robots competing in China over the weekend did quite well. See for yourself. If you thought bipedal robots were limited to the somewhat creepy and sweet breakdancing moves of Boston Dynamics' Atlas, think again, because the robots are now coming for your marathon medals. More than 20 robots took to the streets of China over the weekend to compete against real people in the first-ever human-humanoid half-marathon. The robots were from various manufacturers, and, like people, came in all different sizes. Also: AI humanoid robots step closer - thanks to new $350 million investment Some wore running shoes for the 13-mile trek, some ran on their bare feet. Some had eerily human-looking heads, some had traditional robotic, metallic heads. They ranged from 4 feet tall to nearly 6 feet tall -- but all were vaguely human-shaped. As a safety precaution, run organizers separated the human runners from the robot runners. They ran on parallel, but identical courses. It wasn't a success for everyone. A few robots did finish the race, but some either fell over immediately at the starting line and just lay there (I feel you, robot), lost limbs along the way, overheated and needed assistance, or crashed into a railing along the way. Out of the finishers, the fastest robot was Tiangong Ultra, produced by the Beijing Innovation Center of Huan Robotics, with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. For comparison, the fastest human in the competition had a time of 1 hour and 2 minutes - but the average half-marathon time for a beginner is between 2 hours and 25 minutes and 3 hours and 15 minutes, depending on age. At the end of the competition, organizers awarded prizes for the best endurance (or the fewest pit stops for battery changes), the best gait, and the most innovative form. It's clear that robots aren't even close to catching the best human runners, but they can run a half marathon just as well as a normal person, and that's pretty impressive.

New PR? Humanoid robots in China competed in their first half-marathon

Tiangong Ultra FTW. Credit: VCG / Visual China Group / Getty Image Over the weekend, humans running as fast as they could were chased by robots through the streets of Beijing, China. To be more specific, it was a half-marathon race, and the robots lagged far behind the humans. On Saturday, China held what it's calling the world's first humanoid half-marathon. Over 20 two-legged humanoid robots competed alongside real human runners, according to state-run news outlet Beijing Daily, via CNN World. The teams were from Chinese universities and companies publicizing their humanoid robotics advancements, which China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has dubbed a critical area for competing with the U.S. As CNN reports, local governments in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen have invested an estimated $10 billion in developing humanoid robotics to compete with humanoids from U.S. rivals like Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, and Elon Musk's Tesla. China may be closing the gap on developing humanoid robotics, but the robots competing in the half-marathon couldn't keep up with the human racers. The first humanoid, Tiangong Ultra from the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, crossed the finish line in two hours and 40 minutes. That was far behind the human winner in the men's category, who completed the half-marathon in one hour and two minutes, the outlet reported. Robotics teams could re-up their humanoids with new battery packs and swap in replacement robots for a 10-minute penalty. Tiangong Ultra needed three battery changes and required handlers to run alongside it in case it fell along the zig-zagging route with mild elevations of less than nine degrees, said Beijing Daily. Other robot competitors needed the same kind of human supervision, with some relying on leashes or remote controls. As evidenced in press photos from the event, some robots took a tumble. Others wore running shoes, sun hats, pinnies, and windbreakers. One humanoid robot sported a slightly terrifying human-looking head and face, with a chic bob, eyelashes, and makeup. The robots didn't win the race this time, but China is looking to prove it's a serious competitor in humanoid robotics. Its eyes are on the prize for the future.

Watching These Humanoid Robots Try to Run a Half Marathon Is Hilarious and Bizarre

A half marathon foot race in Beijing, China, saw thousands of humanoid robots of various sizes running right alongside their flesh-and-blood counterparts for an attempt to take the crown. Footage shows the awkward bipedal robots trotting off, closely followed by their respective teams of two to three human navigators and engineers. As the Associated Press reports, the machines were separated by a divider from the hordes of human runners, making sure they didn't get trampled -- or tipped over. But judging by their performance, it's unlikely the robots will be rivaling their human counterparts any time particularly soon. Many of them visibly struggled to maintain a jogging pace, with their human helpers having zero issues keeping up. Others fell over or overheated. However, the robots' goofy appearance made for an eye-catching show, with human runners and spectators alike taking photos and videos of the stiff-limbed contraptions. Instead of getting snacks and drinks along the way, the robots made pit stops to swap their batteries. A biped dubbed the Sky Project Ultra robot, developed by China's National and Local Co-built Embodied AI Robotics Innovation Center, took the top non-human spot, crossing the finish line in just over two hours and 40 minutes. That's quite a bit slower than the average time it takes for a fit human runner to cover the 13.1-mile distance. As Wired points out, the slowest time for a human was 3 hours and ten minutes, which meant that Sky Project Ultra was the only bot to qualify for a human participation award. A picture shows the Sky Project Ultra bot receiving a gold medal -- which itself is in the shape of a humanoid robot. At five feet, nine inches, the robot was also the tallest of the bunch. Not every robot contender was as lucky. Plenty of metal contestants ended up falling flat on their faces. Many of the robots also overheated, forcing engineers to swap them out along the way or give up altogether. As the AP reports, robots were given awards for best endurance, gait design, and innovative form, so there were other opportunities to score a win without mastering the art of the road race. Besides, as experts told Wired, most of these robots weren't primarily designed to run as fast as possible. Many of them had vastly different jobs outside of the race. It's nonetheless a sign of how far the tech has come. "Until five years ago or so, we didn't really know how to get robots to walk reliably," Oregon State University robotics professor Alan Fern told Wired. "And now we do, and this will be a good demonstration of that."

Robots lose embarrassingly to inferior meatbag humans in a first of its kind half-marathon race

"The robots are running very well, very stable ... I feel I'm witnessing the evolution of robots and AI." China managed to make one of the coolest sounding premises staggeringly nerdy as the country pits humanoid robots against humans in a half marathon run. According to The Guardian, this meat vs. machine mini marathon was held at Yizhuang in Beijing on Saturday, where 21 robots joined the thousands of fleshy fitness fanatics in competition. The real downside to this news is the robots didn't win, or even come close. In our hubris these robots were kept to humanoid design, which includes human style bi-pedal movement. Running is one of those things that seems particularly difficult to teach a machine, I assume because they don't feel fear. Yet. While the bots ranged in size, from the smallest at just over one metre and the tallest just a touch below two metres tall, they still had to actually run the course. Which is fair, I suppose. This means we didn't see cool things like wheels, rocket jets, chainsaws, or other things I immediately envisioned upon hearing about this robot race. All of the robots were shadowed by some form of human assistance. Some were there to be huge helpers doing things like keeping the robot stable and upright, but others were more hands off, just needing to give directions, complete maintenance, or change batteries. All presumably while the music from the new Marathon trailer loops in their heads. There was so much human help that organisers ended up describing the event more like a motor race thanks to the engineering help and pitt stop-like treatment. "The robots are running very well, very stable ... I feel I'm witnessing the evolution of robots and AI," spectator He Sishu, who works in artificial intelligence, told The Guardian. Tiangong Ultra, from the Beijing Innovation Centre of Human Robotics, was the fastest robot. This all black shiny champion came in with a time of two hours 40 minutes. For reference the human winner of the race had a time of one hour and two minutes. That's a pretty huge difference right now, but with the speed of growth in robotics and machine learning that gap is going to shrink very quickly. We already have robot dogs teaching themselves to walk with a digital nervous system. It won't be long until we're standing bent over, resting on our knees, trying to catch our breath, while one of these zippy bastards runs back and forth reminding us of our own mortality.

Beijing holds first half-marathon with humanoid robots running with humans

The rise of artificial intelligence is putting at risk many jobs traditionally made by humans, specially in the arts and computer departments. But, do robots also pose a threat to sportspeople? It is not likely in the short term, but last Saturday's half-marathon in Beijing may have been a keystone moment. 12,000 thousand human runners competed against 21 humanoid robots in Yizhuang half-marathon. It was meant as a showcase for different technology companies in China to test their advancement in robotics, which in the context of the commercial war between China and the United States adds a new dimension as a way to boos economical growth. The winner robot of the race finished the 21-kilometer, 13-mile race in two hours and 40 minutes. The human winner of the race finished it in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Robots came in a variety of shapes and sizes (all of them humanoid), raced in their own lane and were accompanied by human assistance and could recharge batteries mid race... just as humans can also drink water.

Humanoid robots join runners for half-marathon -- but some of the...

Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21-km (13-mile) course. The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidUP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120 cm (3.9 ft), others as tall as 1.8 m (5.9 ft). One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile. Some firms tested their robots for weeks before the race. Beijing officials have described the event as more akin to a race car competition, given the need for engineering and navigation teams. "The robots are running very well, very stable ... I feel I'm witnessing the evolution of robots and AI," said spectator He Sishu, who works in artificial intelligence. The robots were accompanied by human trainers, some of whom had to physically support the machines during the race. A few of the robots wore running shoes, with one donning boxing gloves and another wearing a red headband with the words "Bound to Win" in Chinese. The winning robot was Tiangong Ultra, from the Beijing Innovation Center of Human Robotics, with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. The men's winner of the race had a time of 1 hour and 2 minutes. The centre is 43% owned by two state-owned enterprises, while tech giant Xiaomi's robotics arm and leading Chinese humanoid robot firm UBTech have equal share in the rest. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics center, said Tiangong Ultra's performance was aided by long legs and an algorithm allowing it to imitate how humans run a marathon. "I don't want to boast but I think no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong's sporting achievements," Tang said, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. Some robots, like Tiangong Ultra, completed the race, while others struggled from the beginning. One robot fell at the starting line and lay flat for a few minutes before getting up and taking off. One crashed into a railing after running a few metres, causing its human operator to fall over. Although humanoid robots have made appearances at marathons in China over the past year, this is the first time they have raced alongside humans. China is hoping that investment in frontier industries like robotics can help create new engines of economic growth. Some analysts, though, question whether having robots enter marathons is a reliable indicator of their industrial potential. Alan Fern, professor of computer science, artificial intelligence and robotics at Oregon State University, said contrary to claims from Beijing officials that such a race requires "AI breakthroughs", the software enabling humanoid robots to run was developed and demonstrated more than five years ago. "Chinese companies have really focused on showing off walking, running, dancing, and other feats of agility. "Generally, these are interesting demonstrations, but they don't demonstrate much regarding the utility of useful work or any type of basic intelligence," Fern said. Tang, the robotic centre's CTO, said: "A focus going forward for us will be industrial applications for humanoid robots so they can truly enter factories, business scenarios, and finally households."

70% of humanoids fail to finish world's first humanoid half-marathon - VnExpress International

Just six out of 21 humanoid robots finished the first-ever humanoid half-marathon in Beijing, with most dropping out due to breakdowns, overheating, or mechanical failures. The winning robot, named "Tiangong Ultra," completed the course on Saturday in 2 hours and 40 minutes, qualifying within the human benchmark of 3 hours and 10 minutes. Others, however, struggled with technical issues ranging from battery failure and overheating to structural malfunctions, including detached heads and limbs, according to tech site Interesting Engineering. Many robots required constant human assistance, such as battery replacements and water sprays to stay cool. Several also wore children's sneakers and had missing parts to reduce weight. Among the most problematic runners was "Huanhuan," which moved at a snail's pace and shook uncontrollably. Another, "Shennong," spun in circles, hit a wall, and pulled down its human handlers. "Xuanfeng Xiaozi" fell apart during the race and had to be held together with duct tape. Although the event demonstrated how far bipedal robot development has come, it also revealed ongoing issues such as limited stability, poor heat dissipation, short battery life, and heavy dependence on human intervention. Alan Fern, a robotics professor, told WIRED prior to the race that while the artificial intelligence powering these machines has not improved significantly since 2021, the hardware has progressed. "Until five years ago or so, we didn't really know how to get robots to walk reliably. And now we do, and this will be a good demonstration of that," he said. He added that completing a half-marathon presents a major hardware durability challenge. "I'll be surprised if one of these companies makes it through without replacing the robot."