In a historic blend of technology and athletics, over 20 humanoid robots participated alongside thousands of runners in a half-marathon held in Beijing’s E-Town — a hub for high-tech innovation — to demonstrate China’s cutting-edge robotics progress.
The 21-kilometre race marked the first of its kind, with robots navigating real-world conditions on a dedicated track while curious spectators filmed their mechanical strides. Some ran autonomously, others were remotely guided, and a few even stumbled and recovered, drawing cheers.
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Officials called it a major step toward integrating robots into daily life. “It’s a giant leap for humanoid robots,” said Liang Liang of the E-Town management committee. Engineers stressed the race was about endurance and performance, not speed.
China continues to push its tech frontier, aiming to rival the U.S. in AI and robotics, with engineers hailing the marathon as a vital test of hardware, software, and human-robot integration.
