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Humanoid robots are set to make history in Beijing this April. On April 13, the world’s first half marathon to include humanoid robots will take place in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as E-town. The event will feature humanoid robots and human runners starting simultaneously on the same 21.0975-kilometer course. To ensure safety, robots will run in separate lanes divided by barriers or green belts.
Six registered robot teams, representing about a quarter of the total participants, conducted their first on-site road tests on March 28. Seven aid stations will be positioned along the route to provide support. Completing the course will require each robot to undergo several battery replacements. Each team has a dedicated support crew to facilitate these operations, much like Formula 1 pit stops where cars enter the pit lane to change tires.
“The aid stations mainly support participating teams by providing battery replacements, safety equipment, and auxiliary tools,” said Wang Guolin, deputy head of the robot competition group.
During the preparation test, the first humanoid robot completed the course in approximately 2 hours and 52 minutes. Organizers noted that many participating robots were not originally designed for running and endurance. While humanoid robots are typically tested in controlled, indoor environments, this marathon offers a rare opportunity for comprehensive, real-world evaluation. It serves as a systematic test of their adaptability, stability, and endurance under dynamic conditions.
“The race can evaluate robots’ locomotion capabilities, stability, posture, energy efficiency, and control algorithms. We hope that through this exchange we can jointly promote the development of the embodied robotics industry,” Wang said.
