WTF?! Forget about whether robots can outperform humans at their jobs, China wants to answer the bigger question on everyone's minds: can the machines beat their flesh-and-blood creators in a half-marathon race? In April, this pressing question will be answered.
The world's first humans vs. robot half-marathon will take place in Beijing's Daxing district in April. Around 12,000 humans will be racing the 13 miles against humanoid robots from more than 20 companies, according to the administrative body of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, aka E-Town.
Research institutes, robotics clubs and universities from around the world are being invited to enter their robots into the race. There are rules, of course: the robots must resemble humans and have a mechanical structure that allows them to perform bipedal walking or running – no wheels allowed, obviously.
Furthermore, the robots must stand between 1.6 feet and 6.5 feet, and the maximum extension distance from the hip joint to the sole of the foot should be at least 1.47 feet. Both remote controlled and fully autonomous robots are allowed to enter, and mid-race battery swaps will be permitted. The top three runners will be awarded prizes.
While this will be the first time that robots have competed against humans in a half-marathon, another race in Beijing last year saw a bipedal robot – Tiangong from robotics company Galbot – join participants near the end. It only ran about 100 meters (328 feet) and was pretty slow, but it still received a medal for crossing the finish line. Tiangong will also reportedly take part in April's race, at which point it will be able to run at 6.2 miles per hour.
At the Beijing Yizhuang Half #Marathon on the morning of Nov. 10, the #Beijing humanoid #robot "Tiangong" entered the racecourse and crossed the finish line alongside the runners. #funinbeijing pic.twitter.com/DQM1zjxneK
– Beijing Daily (@DailyBeijing) November 10, 2024
In November 2024, a robot built by the South Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) became the first quadrupedal robot to complete a full marathon. Bearing a strong resemblance to Boston Dynamics' Spot, RAIBO2 finished the 26.2-mile run in four hours, 19 minutes, and 52 seconds.
As with AI, humanoid robots are another tech area where China is competing with the United States. Several cities in the Asian nation are pouring more money into researching, developing, and promoting these machines, with the industry predicted to grow to $54.6 billion by 2030.
Masthead: Beijing Daily
