A humanoid robot fell, a small stumble on its road to the future

BEIJING, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on the world's first-ever half-marathon for both humanoid robots and human runners:

At a half-marathon race, a 5.9-ft "giant" dashed toward the finish line, arms swinging; less than a foot tall, an adorable "toddler" was taking tiny steps; and this one — wait, where did his head go?

These "rare scenes" unfolded in Beijing, at the world's first-ever half-marathon for both humanoid robots and human runners. On one side of the course, the flesh-and-blood athletes craned their necks as they ran to catch a glimpse of how their robotic rivals were doing on the other side. These humanoid robots came in different makes and sizes, and likewise embodied the same diversity in their performance and intended application scenarios. During the race, there was more to it than just running — a lot of them fell over, batteries needed to be changed, coolants were sprayed, and restarts made. Finally, the champion was secured by the robot "Tien Kung Ultra", finishing in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, roughly on par with the average amateur human runner.

Some questioned that with all the astonishing videos on social media of robots dancing or even doing front-flips, how come it is so hard for these humanoid robots to "simply" run?

To start with, a half-marathon spans just over 21 kilometers (13 miles), meaning each robot has to complete about 250,000 precise joint movements. Besides the sheer distance, the slopes, bumpy roads, and even the outdoor weather conditions all posed extra challenges. One can say, what seemed like "mere running" tested the limits of technology, including the humanoid robots' joint structures, energy efficiency, heat dissipation, environmental perception and motion planning algorithms.

Faced with multiple challenges and widespread attention, teams that enrolled in the race didn't burden their minds with the possibility of embarrassment from the robots' incompetent performance. Instead, they saw the exposure of potential problems in the race as an opportunity to iterate their technologies, forwarding advancements in Embodied AI for their robots, and enabling them to operate in real human environments more stably and for longer hours.

The significance of this half-marathon transcends just technology.

Humankind's envisioning of robots dates back centuries, followed by a long journey of exploration. For China, serious robot R&D began in the 1970s. In 1982, the prototype of the very first industrial robot was developed. In the years that followed, the development in various fields, especially the economic growth, which fueled technological innovation, as well as a supportive environment and favorable policies all contributed to building a more wholesome robotics industry chain, breeding diversified application scenarios. In recent years, innovations can be seen on almost a daily basis.

Take Noetix Robotics' N2 as an example. This type of humanoid robot placed among the top finishers in the half-marathon race, yet just in May last year, its previous generation only learned how to walk. In less than a year, it mastered a repertoire of skills including obstacle-avoidance and dancing. After the race, orders for the robot surged. Although the story can be told in just a few words, behind the scenes were days and nights of overcoming challenges and seeking solutions, seizing every chance to increase visibility and acceptance for the robots, and gearing up relentlessly to unlock even greater value.

It is also a microcosm of the Chinese robotics industry — driven by a craving for breakthroughs and undaunted by challenges, it features a resilience nurtured in China, while reflecting humanity's determination to stride toward the future.

Although the first-of-its-kind half-marathon has concluded, it has in a broader sense, opened the door to a more ambitious quest.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 

A humanoid robot fell, a small stumble on its road to the future
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2025-04/30/content_117853890.shtml 

SOURCE China.org.cn