A unique spectacle unfolded at a half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, where dozens of humanoid robots joined thousands of human runners, serving as a demonstration of China’s advancements in technology.
As reported by Chinese media, 21 humanoid robots took part in the 21-kilometer (13-mile) event held in Beijing’s Daxing district. The participants included robots developed by private companies and prominent institutions like Tsinghua University.
Footage shared by Xinhua News Agency featured various robots—some human-sized, including one wearing a sunhat and gloves, while others were significantly smaller—jogging alongside the human runners.
One smaller robot, resembling the height of a young child, stood out in a flashy silver and blue outfit, complete with a pair of headphones.
The competition was open to a range of robot types, from manually or semi-manually operated machines to fully autonomous ones. Some teams used the event as an opportunity to test their AI-driven robotic systems in a real-world scenario.
Robot teams were permitted to swap batteries during the marathon or even operate as relay teams to complete the race.
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