China's half marathon for robots postponed due to strong winds

Robot Tiangong during the Yizhuang Half Marathon on Nov. 10, 2024. Photo by Yizhuang Half Marathon

Beijing is set to experience strong winds and low temperatures from April 11 to 13, coinciding with the scheduled marathon dates. This marks the first time in nearly a decade that Beijing has issued an orange warning for strong winds across the city.

Experts have warned that humanoid robots could be at risk of falling due to the lack of training data for such surprising situations. As a result, the event organizers have announced the postponement of the half marathon to April 19.

The race, which will see humanoid robots and humans run together for the first time in history, will cover a distance of 21km in Daxing District. The competition has attracted over 30,000 participants, including 20 robot companies, research institutes, clubs and universities.

The event will feature the unique format of "simultaneous registration, same track, and simultaneous start" for both robots and human runners. However, humanoid robots will have their own designated track, separated by iron fences or green dividers for safety.

The robots will have a time limit of 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete the race. Teams can change batteries or switch robots during the event in a relay format, with each robot switch adding a 10-minute penalty to the total completion time.

Robots participating in the race must be humanoid, move on two legs and cannot use wheels. The robots can be controlled manually, semi or fully automatically. Teams must ensure that their robots do not damage the track, other robots or people and must comply with all course and technical rules.

The top three finishers will receive prizes of 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 yuan (US$410-587-684), with additional awards for endurance, speed, and popularity.