Twenty-one humanoid robots participated in the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing, marking the first time robots raced alongside humans over a 21-kilometer course.

The robots, ranging in size from 120 cm to 1.8 meters, were developed by Chinese companies like DroidVP and Noetix Robotics.

They underwent several weeks of testing before the event and were designed to mimic human features like winking and smiling.

While humanoid robots have joined marathons in China before, this race was the first to feature robots running alongside human participants.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Robot racing has evolved from novelty to national showcase over 13 years

The Beijing half-marathon represents a significant evolution in robot racing since the world’s first bipedal robot marathon held in Osaka in 2011, where only six robots participated and took nearly 55 hours to complete a full marathon course.

Those early robots moved at just 0.7 km/h and required human assistance for battery changes and cooling overheating motors with compressed air during the multi-day event.

The jump from 6 robots in 2011 to 21 humanoid robots in Beijing’s 2024 race demonstrates the scaling of China’s robotics industry, reflecting the country’s investments in this sector.

While the 2011 Japanese event focused on basic endurance and line-tracking algorithms, Chinese manufacturers like DroidVP and Noetix are now showcasing more sophisticated designs with varied heights, human-like features, and faster speeds over the half-marathon distance.

This evolution reflects how robot competitions have transformed from academic demonstrations into national industrial showcases with government backing and commercial participation.

2️⃣ Technical achievements versus practical applications remains a key tension

The contrast between promotional demonstrations and industrial utility highlights fundamental questions about robotics development priorities in different markets.

Japan’s 2011 robot marathon was explicitly connected to addressing the country’s aging population challenges, demonstrating how robots might serve practical social needs.

In contrast, Professor Alan Fern notes that the Beijing event primarily demonstrates hardware endurance rather than “utility of useful work or any type of basic intelligence,” suggesting a gap between these public showcases and practical applications.