A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor won a half-marathon race in Beijing on Sunday (Apr 19), completing the 21-kilometer (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds—faster than the human world record of 57 minutes, set by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo in March. The event, held at Beijing E-Town, marked a significant leap from last year's inaugural race, where the winning robot finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. This year's competition saw over 100 teams, including five from overseas, nearly five times the number of participants from 2023.
The race was not without challenges—one robot fell at the start line, while another collided with a barrier. Despite these hiccups, the event showcased rapid advancements in robotics. Nearly 40% of the robots navigated autonomously, a stark contrast to last year's race, where most relied on remote control. Honor's winning robot featured 90-95 cm (35-37 inch) legs, modeled after elite human runners, and a liquid-cooling system derived from smartphone technology.
Spectators expressed awe at the robots' performance. Sun Zhigang, who attended both years, described the progress as 'enormous,' while Wang Wen suggested the event signaled a 'new era' in human-robot competition. Honor engineer Du Xiaodi emphasized the potential for transferring robotics technology to industries like manufacturing, though he acknowledged the sector remains in its early stages.
The race was held alongside a human marathon, with separate tracks to prevent collisions. While the robots' times surpassed human records, their commercial viability remains uncertain. The event underscored China's technological strides, with Honor securing the top three podium spots—all self-navigated and record-breaking.