At the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing, 21 humanoid robots competed alongside thousands of human runners, marking the first instance of such a race. Notable robots included the Tiangong Ultra, which finished with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes, closely mimicking human running patterns through advanced algorithms. Chinese manufacturers designed these robots, some equipped with features like running shoes and gloves, while human trainers provided support during the race. The event has been likened to race car competitions due to the engineering skill and technology involved, reflecting significant advancements in robotics.
The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidVP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120cm (3ft 9in), others as tall as 1.8m (5ft 9in).
Beijing officials have described the event as more akin to a race car competition, given the need for engineering and navigation teams.
I feel I'm witnessing the evolution of robots and AI, said spectator He Sishu, who works in artificial intelligence.
Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics centre, said Tiangong Ultra's performance was aided by long legs and an algorithm allowing it to imitate how humans run a marathon.
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