Humanoid robot and their running skills: Beijing's half marathon in focus

Chinese robot run half marathon against humans

Beijing (dpa) - In a remarkable sporting event in Beijing, a number of humanoid robots against human participants competed in a half marathon. The event took place in the Yizhuang district and extended over the length of 21,0975 kilometers. A total of 20 companies and research institutions presented their robots, who had to be able to run on two legs.

During the competition, some robots showed difficulties to start the running route at all. In media reports, scenes were shown in which robots stopped at the start or ran very slowly, while more than 10,000 people took part in the event. The running routes of the robots and humans were separated by barriers, and engineers had the opportunity to make adjustments during their robots, but this was associated with time penalties.

A look at the technology

The competition was not only an entertaining event, but also an opportunity to test the usefulness of humanoid robots. Scientists like Maren Bennewitz from the University of Bonn emphasize that such competitions represent early tests for the perception and responsiveness of robots in real environments. The fastest human participant reached the goal with a time of 1 hour 11 minutes, while the best robot, "Tiangong", took 2 hours and 40 minutes.

technological competition between the USA and China

university professor Daniel Rixen describes the event as a PR campaign that is supposed to demonstrate China's technological progress, similar to Formula 1 in the automotive sector. In the current race to technological innovations for robotic humanoid devices, Rixen China sees in an advantageous position. Chinese companies are working on producing robots inexpensive and efficiently to counter American competitors in the field of artificial intelligence and robot technology.

future prospects for robot technology

The market for robot technology shows promising growth forecasts. Analyzes indicate that the sales figures could increase significantly by 2050. Chinese companies are already experimenting with humanoid robots in various industrial areas, whereby partnerships with automotive manufacturers are being created to integrate robotics in vehicles.

state support for technology development

The Chinese government actively promotes development in robot technology, with the aim of positioning itself in this area as a leader by 2025. An important element of this strategy is the development of "embodied KI", which is seen as a key technology for future applications. In order to encourage their own population, the government regularly presents the robotics to the public in order to increase awareness and support for technological developments.