China hosts first human vs robot half-marathon in Beijing
Guwahati: China hosted its first-ever human versus robot half-marathon on Saturday, with 21 humanoid robots racing alongside thousands of human runners in the Yizhuang Half-Marathon held in Beijing.
According to the sources, the 21-kilometre (13-mile) race featured robots developed by the leading Chinese robotics manufacturers to race alongside thousands of human runners.
It stated that the course tested both humans and machines with slopes, sharp turns, and uneven terrain, pushing the limits of current robotic capabilities.
During the course, some robots managed to complete the race successfully, while others faced difficulties, showcasing the challenges of real-time robotic navigation, the sources asserted.
Although the robots have appeared at marathons in the past, this is the first instance of humanoid robots directly competing against human runners over an official half-marathon distance, the sources added.