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WIRED
19-04-2025
- Science
- WIRED
Stumbling and Overheating, Most Humanoid Robots Fail to Finish Half Marathon in Beijing
Apr 19, 2025 4:36 PM 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. A Humanoid robot called Tiangong crosses the finish line in the Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half 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.) While capabilities like dancing can be fun and eyecatching, they don't actually show how useful humanoid robots are in real-world situations, says Fern. Even being able to run a half marathon isn't a very useful benchmark for their skills—it's not like there's market demand for robots that can compete with human runners. The benchmarks that Fern says matter to him are how well they can handle diverse real-world tasks without step-by-step human instructions. 'But I would expect to see China shifting this year to focusing more on doing useful things, because people are going to be bored of dancing and karate,' Fern says. The robots who participated in the race came in a variety of forms. The shortest one was only 2 feet and 5 inches tall. Sporting a blue and white tracksuit and waving to onlookers every few seconds, it was probably the crowd favorite. The tallest, at five feet nine inches, was the winner Tiangong Ultra. What all of the robots have in common is that they are bipedal instead of running on wheels, a requirement to participate in the race. As long as the robots met that requirement, they were free to get creative, and the companies behind them adopted a wide range of strategies to try to get an advantage over their competitors. Some were wearing kid-sized sneakers (though screwed to their pedals to avoid falling off). Others were equipped with knee pads to protect their delicate parts from damage when they fell. Most of the robots had their fingers removed and some were even missing heads—you don't need such parts for running, after all, and taking them off reduces a robot's weight and the amount of burden placed on their motors. Tiangong Ultra and another model, the N2 robot made by Chinese company Noetix Robotics, which won second place in the race, stood out for their consistent, albeit slow pace. The performance of the other humanoids was mostly disastrous. One robot called Huanhuan, which has a human-like head, only moved at the speed of a snail for a few minutes while its head shook uncontrollably—as if it could fall off any time. Another robot named Shennong looks like a real Frankenstein's monster, with the head that resembles Gundam and four drone propellers that face backwards. It sits on a foundation with eight wheels, and it's not clear how that alone wasn't disqualifying. But that wasn't even Shennong's biggest problem, as the robot immediately twirled in two circles after taking off from the starting line, hit the wall, and dragged down its human operators with it. It was painful to watch. Duct tape proved to be the most effective problem-solving tool. Not only did the accompanying humans make makeshift robot shoes with duct tape, they also used it to adhere the head of a robot back onto its body after it repeatedly fell off during the run, making for some very jarring scenes. Every robot had human operators, often two or three running beside them. Some held control panels that allowed them to give the robot instructions, including how fast to go, while other operators led the way for their robots and tried to clear potential obstacles on the ground. Quite a few of the humanoids were being held on what looked like, well, pet leashes. 'You wanna think of these robots more like running a remote control car through the race. But the robots don't have wheels,' says Fern. In fact, by the end of the race, many people who tuned into the livestream started to comment on how exhausted the robots' human operators looked. They were guiding the robots where to go, furiously changing their batteries, and endlessly spraying liquid on them to cool down their motors, all while running (or walking, to be honest) 13.1 miles on their own. Besides running and tripping, some of the robots also performed dances and backflips. Seven robot dogs and one humanoid also performed more dances on a nearby stage. At the end, yet another robot brought the trophies onto the award stage and presented them to their four fellow robots who completed the run. The limitations of the robots, however, could make for some memorable scenes. Xuanfeng Xiaozi, a robot developed by the Chinese company Noetix, started off strong but broke down more and more frequently towards the end of the race. At one point, it fully plunged to the ground, face down, and its head became dislodged from its body. A team of human operators quickly swooped in with duct tape to fix things and put Xuanfeng Xiaozi back on its way. When it was finally almost done with the race, Xuanfeng Xiaozi had a cooling pad attached to its front and its right foot was out of step with its left, and yet, it still managed to wobble to the finish line, where the runner-up robot, made by the same company, had been waiting for it for ten minutes. The half marathon certainly showed off the design flaws of these robots far more than their capabilities. But still, at that moment, I was really happy to see Xuanfeng Xiaozi finish the race.
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Robots race humans in Beijing half-marathon
Dozens of robots took to the streets of Beijing early on Saturday to race against humans in a world-first half-marathon. The 13-mile (21km) event held in the Chinese capital's E-Town – a state-backed high-tech manufacturing hub – was billed as a groundbreaking effort to test the limits of bipedal robots in real-world conditions, and showcased the country's drive to lead the global race in cutting-edge technology. At the crack of the starter's gun, the robots began taking their first tentative steps as the Chinese pop song 'I Believe' blared out from loudspeakers. Curious human runners lined the roadside, phones in hand ready to photograph each machine as it began the race. One smaller-sized android fell over and lay on the ground for several minutes, before getting up by itself to loud cheers. Another, powered by propellers, veered across the starting line before crashing into a barrier and knocking over an engineer. Despite a mid-race fall, first to cross the finish line more than two hours later was the tallest droid and one of the heaviest in the competition. At nearly 6ft (180cm) tall and weighing 115lbs (52kg), the metallic black 'Tiangong Ultra' posted a time of 2:40:42. The men's and women's winners, both from Ethiopia, finished in 1:02:36 and, 1:11:07 respectively, according to state media. Joining enthusiastic spectators cheering the robots on was Huang Xiaoyu, who said: 'My daughter... got up really early and asked to come watch the robot marathon. 'It was quite a breathtaking experience – we were able to see some of the most cutting-edge robots in our country.' Tang Jian, chief technology officer of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center (BHRIC) which developed Tiangong Ultra, told reporters the company was 'very happy with the results'. 'We had set three goals for ourselves: first, to win the championship; second, to complete the entire half marathon with a single robot – a very important goal for us; and third, to finish the race in under three hours,' he said. 'We collected real-world running data from professional athletes and trained the robot so that its gait, cadence, stride length, and various postures could match those of professional runners as closely as possible.' The BHRIC, first established by the government, is now owned by Chinese tech firms Xiaomi Robotics and UBTech Robotics as well as two state-owned companies, according to business data provider Tianyancha. Around 20 teams from across China participated in the competition, with robots ranging from 2ft 6in to 6ft (75 to 180cm) tall and weighing up to 194lbs (88kg). Some jogged autonomously, while others were guided remotely by their engineers. Robots and human participants ran on separate tracks. 'Getting onto the race track might seem like a small step for humans, but it's a giant leap for humanoid robots,' Liang Liang, Beijing E-Town's management committee deputy director, said. Engineers said the goal was to test the performance and reliability of the androids – emphasising that finishing the race, not winning it, was the main objective.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half-marathon. They lost by a mile
If the idea of robots taking on humans in a road race conjures dystopian images of android athletic supremacy, then fear not, for now at least. More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance. Teams from several companies and universities took part in the race, a showcase of China's advances on humanoid technology as it plays catch-up with the US, which still boasts the more sophisticated models. And the chief of the winning team said their robot – though bested by the humans in this particular race – was a match for similar models from the West, at a time when the race to perfect humanoid technology is hotting up. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the robots jogged through Beijing's southeastern Yizhuang district, home to many of the capital's tech firms. Over the past few months, videos of China's humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and side flips have blown up the internet, often amplified by state media as a key potential driver of economic growth. In a 2023 policy document, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology identified the humanoid robotics industry as a 'new frontier in technological competition,' setting a 2025 target for mass production and secure supply chains for core components. Fears have mounted in recent years about how artificial intelligence – and robots – may one day outsmart humans. And while AI models are fast gaining ground, sparking concern for everything from security to the future of work, Saturday's race suggested that humans still at least have the upper hand when it comes to running. The robots were pitted against 12,000 human contestants, running side by side with them in a fenced-off lane. After setting off from a country park, participating robots had to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit before they could reach the finish line, according to state-run outlet Beijing Daily. Just as human runners needed to replenish themselves with water, robot contestants were allowed to get new batteries during the race. Companies were also allowed to swap their androids with substitutes when they could no longer compete, though each substitution came with a 10-minute penalty. The first robot across the finish line, Tiangong Ultra – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center – finished the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That's nearly two hours short of the human world record of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the men's race on Saturday finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics innovation 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, according to the Reuters news agency, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. The 1.8-meter robot came across a few challenges during the race, which involved the multiple battery changes. It also needed a helper to run alongside it with his hands hovering around his back, in case of a fall. Most of the robots required this kind of support, with a few tied to a leash. Some were led by a remote control. Amateur human contestants running in the other lane had no difficulty keeping up, with the curious among them taking out their phones to capture the robotic encounters as they raced along.
CNN
19-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half-marathon. They lost by a mile
If the idea of robots taking on humans in a road race conjures dystopian images of android athletic supremacy, then fear not, for now at least. More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance. Teams from several companies and universities took part in the race, a showcase of China's advances on humanoid technology as it plays catch-up with the US, which still boasts the more sophisticated models. And the chief of the winning team said their robot – though bested by the humans in this particular race – was a match for similar models from the West, at a time when the race to perfect humanoid technology is hotting up. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the robots jogged through Beijing's southeastern Yizhuang district, home to many of the capital's tech firms. Over the past few months, videos of China's humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and side flips have blown up the internet, often amplified by state media as a key potential driver of economic growth. In a 2023 policy document, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology identified the humanoid robotics industry as a 'new frontier in technological competition,' setting a 2025 target for mass production and secure supply chains for core components. Fears have mounted in recent years about how artificial intelligence – and robots – may one day outsmart humans. And while AI models are fast gaining ground, sparking concern for everything from security to the future of work, Saturday's race suggested that humans still at least have the upper hand when it comes to running. The robots were pitted against 12,000 human contestants, running side by side with them in a fenced-off lane. After setting off from a country park, participating robots had to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit before they could reach the finish line, according to state-run outlet Beijing Daily. Just as human runners needed to replenish themselves with water, robot contestants were allowed to get new batteries during the race. Companies were also allowed to swap their androids with substitutes when they could no longer compete, though each substitution came with a 10-minute penalty. The first robot across the finish line, Tiangong Ultra – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center – finished the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That's nearly two hours short of the human world record of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the men's race on Saturday finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics innovation 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, according to the Reuters news agency, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. The 1.8-meter robot came across a few challenges during the race, which involved the multiple battery changes. It also needed a helper to run alongside it with his hands hovering around his back, in case of a fall. Most of the robots required this kind of support, with a few tied to a leash. Some were led by a remote control. Amateur human contestants running in the other lane had no difficulty keeping up, with the curious among them taking out their phones to capture the robotic encounters as they raced along.
CNN
19-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half-marathon. They lost by a mile
If the idea of robots taking on humans in a road race conjures dystopian images of android athletic supremacy, then fear not, for now at least. More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance. Teams from several companies and universities took part in the race, a showcase of China's advances on humanoid technology as it plays catch-up with the US, which still boasts the more sophisticated models. And the chief of the winning team said their robot – though bested by the humans in this particular race – was a match for similar models from the West, at a time when the race to perfect humanoid technology is hotting up. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the robots jogged through Beijing's southeastern Yizhuang district, home to many of the capital's tech firms. Over the past few months, videos of China's humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and side flips have blown up the internet, often amplified by state media as a key potential driver of economic growth. In a 2023 policy document, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology identified the humanoid robotics industry as a 'new frontier in technological competition,' setting a 2025 target for mass production and secure supply chains for core components. Fears have mounted in recent years about how artificial intelligence – and robots – may one day outsmart humans. And while AI models are fast gaining ground, sparking concern for everything from security to the future of work, Saturday's race suggested that humans still at least have the upper hand when it comes to running. The robots were pitted against 12,000 human contestants, running side by side with them in a fenced-off lane. After setting off from a country park, participating robots had to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit before they could reach the finish line, according to state-run outlet Beijing Daily. Just as human runners needed to replenish themselves with water, robot contestants were allowed to get new batteries during the race. Companies were also allowed to swap their androids with substitutes when they could no longer compete, though each substitution came with a 10-minute penalty. The first robot across the finish line, Tiangong Ultra – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center – finished the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That's nearly two hours short of the human world record of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the men's race on Saturday finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics innovation 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, according to the Reuters news agency, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. The 1.8-meter robot came across a few challenges during the race, which involved the multiple battery changes. It also needed a helper to run alongside it with his hands hovering around his back, in case of a fall. Most of the robots required this kind of support, with a few tied to a leash. Some were led by a remote control. Amateur human contestants running in the other lane had no difficulty keeping up, with the curious among them taking out their phones to capture the robotic encounters as they raced along.
