Robots Run Alongside Human Runners in Beijing Half-Marathon

What Happened?

Twenty-one humanoid robots raced alongside human runners in a half-marathon in Beijing, China. The bipedal robots from different manufacturers and sizes navigated the 21.1-kilometer (13.1-mile) course augmented by support teams consisting of human navigators, operators, and engineers, in what event organizers say was a first. For safety reasons, a divider separated the parallel courses used by robots and people.

According to the Associated Press, while flesh-and-blood participants followed conventional rules, the 20 teams fielding machines in the Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon competed under tailored guidelines, which included battery swap pit stops.

Why it Matters

Of the twenty-one humanoid robots that participated, only six completed the half marathon course.  About twelve thousand human runners took part in the race. The fastest robot, Tiangong Ultra, was developed by Chinese robotics company, UBTech, in collaboration with the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. It finished the race in two hours and 40 minutes, after assistants changed its batteries three times and it fell once.

Nearly every robot in the race fell at least once, and they all faced overheating problems.  Regardless, the six robots that did finish the race illustrated how far the design and construction of humanoid robots has come just in the past decade. The potential applications for humanoid robots are numerous, including both civilian and military possibilities.

On the military side, robotic soldiers could do jobs or perform tasks deemed too dangerous for humans, such as explosive ordinance disposal or clearing minefields. The same concept has equal possibilities in the civilian world. A number of dangerous jobs could be undertaken by humanoid robots, from underwater construction to high-rise maintenance, potentially preventing injuries and deaths to human workers.

Distance running is a good test of a humanoid robot’s construction and durability. Though many animals such as horses are far faster than humans on foot, on long distance runs over uneven terrain, in many cases humans are actually faster. Because humans can sweat and regulate their pace, they can handle the strain of running long distances better than other living things who may be faster over shorter distances. Which is why testing humanoid robots over distance runs like a half-marathon makes sense from an engineering point of view.

The design and building in of features to regulate temperature and conserve power could eventually lead to the creation of humanoid robots who possess physical abilities superior to human beings.

How it Affects You

The design and testing of humanoid robots, capable of handling prolonged stress and sustained activity, is a big step towards a world where robots could aid human beings in a wide range of physically demanding and dangerous tasks.

Rather than replacing human workers outright, humanoid robots could become essential tools for human workers who routinely do dangerous jobs or who have high risk occupations.