Half marathon in Beijing: Man against the machine - a look into the future?

Chinese robot run half marathon against humans

In the Chinese capital Beijing there was a remarkable sporting event: several humanoid robots competed against people in a half marathon. The route led over 21,0975 kilometers through the Yizhuang district and attracted not only robots, but also more than 10,000 human runners. 20 different companies and research institutions took part in this event, the robots of which met the special requirements, such as owning two legs.

Despite the progressive technology, some robots remained at the start or could not successfully cope with the route. Some of the robots are slowly running that they were overhauled by their developers who had to help them. In order to meet the competitive conditions, the organizers had set up barriers between the robots and the human runners and allowed engineers to adapt their robots to ensure that they achieve the goal. However, this led to time penalties that influenced the overall ranking.

The fastest human participant ended the race in 1 hour, 11 minutes and 07 seconds, while the best robot, "Tiangong", finished 2 hours and 40 minutes. These results raise questions whether the event was more than just a spectacular PR event. Experts like Maren Bennewitz from the University of Bonn see such competitions as a possibility to test the performance of humanoid robots, both with regard to their hardware and their software skills.

In the technical development of machines, some challenges are emphasized: robots must be energetically efficient, have robust components and can move autonomously on the path assigned to them. Daniel Rixen from the Technical University of Munich emphasizes that such events not only indicate technological progress, but also send a message to international rivals such as the USA that have formidable competitors in the field of humanoid robotics.

The robot market is expected to be worth the hundreds of billion dollars. Analysts predict that the annual sales could increase enormously by 2050. Chinese companies already use humanoid robots in industry, and initiatives are underway to integrate robotics in various sectors. This shows how seriously the government of Beijing drives and supports technological progress in this area