“Well played, keep it up!”
On the 19th at 7:30 a.m. (local time), in the Economic and Technological Development Zone in the south of Beijing, China. As the sound signaling the start of the marathon race echoed, the humanoid robot "Tian Gong" (天工), standing 180 cm tall and weighing 52 kg, began to run vigorously. Those watching raised their voices in cheer. Clad in an orange sleeveless shirt with its name written on the left shoulder and wearing black specialized running shoes, Tian Gong demonstrated a stable running posture alongside three engineers. This robot can run at an average speed of 10 km/h and a maximum speed of 12 km/h. On that day, Tian Gong crossed the finish line for the 21.0974 km half course in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, securing first place among humanoid robots.
China held the world's first humanoid robot half marathon. Humanoid robots, each with different sizes and performances, ran in teams with engineers, captivating not only numerous foreign press reporters but also marathoners running alongside who forgot about their records and cheered. Although some robots dropped out due to technical flaws, it was regarded as a demonstration of China’s technological prowess.
◇ 21 robots participated… “A milestone showcasing the present and future of robots”
A total of 21 teams participated in the event. Among them was Tian Gong, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, along with Unitree's G1 and "Little Giant" (小巨人) from Beijing University of Science and Technology. Notably, G1 had appeared in this year’s Lunar New Year gala show by state-run China Central Television (CCTV), performing complex traditional dance moves alongside human dancers and receiving applause.
Tian Gong also appeared in last year's similar event, but at that time, it only served as a pace maker near the finish line instead of completing the half course. To ensure a proper marathon for the robots, the organizers established various safety regulations. First, the robots did not start all at once like human marathoners but instead took off in sequence at one-minute intervals to avoid collisions. If the interval exceeded two minutes, a time penalty would be applied. If a battery needed to be changed, it had to be communicated beforehand to the judge running alongside. It was also possible to replace the robot and run in a relay format, but that too would incur a time penalty. The final record would be calculated incorporating all these penalties.
The course of the event was structured to verify the physical capabilities of the robots. It included a mix of flat surfaces, inclines, left turns, and right turns. A time limit of 3 hours and 30 minutes was established. The robots participated in the competition in various forms. Considering the cloudy weather that day, some robots wore yellow windbreakers, while others donned silver spacesuits. They were also categorized into models wearing shoes or those that ran on their own feet.
As this was the first event, very few robots achieved meaningful records. For instance, Unitree's G1 exhibited unstable behavior right from the start. Despite needing to run in a straight line, it consistently veered off to the side. Thanks to its slow speed, it was able to avoid crashing into the fence, allowing the engineer to successfully correct its direction. One robot required the engineer to guide it with a rope from behind, but less than a minute after the start, it lost its directional control and ended up breaking down. Another robot with the face and hairstyle of an adult female also simply sat down near the starting line.
Despite this, the event was a significant indication of the considerable advancements in China’s robotics technology and the rapid growth of the market. According to a research report on the humanoid robot and embodied intelligence industry, released earlier this month, the market size for humanoid robots in China is expected to reach 8.239 billion yuan this year, accounting for 50% of the global market. The state-run Xinhua News Agency described the event as "an important milestone that symbolically showcases the present and future of China’s robotics industry beyond just a simple technology demonstration."