Photo credit: www.engadget.com

Beijing Hosts Inaugural Robot Half-Marathon

In a groundbreaking event, Beijing recently organized what is being described as the world’s first half-marathon specifically for robots, featuring bipedal machines competing alongside human athletes. As anticipated, the event proved to be a mix of excitement and comical mishaps. The robots, which were guided by human operators, faced significant challenges, with many failing to complete the course, much less finish within the four-hour time limit. Reports highlighted some of the more amusing failures: “One fell at the starting line,” noted Bloomberg. “Another’s head fell off and rolled on the ground. And one collapsed and broke into pieces.” While the robots may not be setting any speed records, the clips from the event are certainly captivating.

According to Bloomberg, a total of 21 robots took part in this unique race, but only four managed to cross the finish line within the designated time frame. The standout performer was Tiangong Ultra, a five-foot-ten robot from X Humanoid, which completed the marathon in two hours and 40 minutes—twice the time it took for the top human finishers.

Participants were permitted to perform battery swaps (with Tiangong Ultra relying on its third battery to finish) and could even substitute robots during the race, although this practice incurred time penalties. Alongside Tiangong Ultra, the lineup of robot competitors included Noetix Robotics’ N2—a robot drawing inspiration from Gundam designs—Huan Huan, a robot designed with a humanoid female appearance, and a compact 30-inch model known as Little Giant, engineered by local university students. Interestingly, many of these robotic participants sported human running shoes, adding a humorous twist to the proceedings.

Source
www.engadget.com