The humanoid robot with a silky handkerchief at the Spring Festival Gala amazed countless viewers; a group of humanoid robots stepping onto the marathon track is equally anticipated.
On the morning of April 19, the world’s first “human-robot co-running” half marathon kicked off in Beijing Yizhuang, with nearly 20 humanoid robot teams from various cities across the country competing together.
From the “robot police” on the streets to the “robot workers” interning in factories… humanoid robots, once a distant dream, are increasingly appearing in the public eye this year. Compared to assembly and instruction scenarios, the marathon track poses a greater challenge for humanoid robots.
According to reports, robot competitors, like humans, must run over 21 kilometers, climbing slopes, crossing tracks, and turning 14 corners along the way. Achieving a human-like form and gait for the “Iron Man” is already challenging, and running demands even higher responsiveness and impact resistance from the robot’s joint actuators. The half marathon track competition is indeed a high-difficulty event.
The marathon competition is a test for robot competitors, but ultimately it is a test of human intelligence.The stability, speed, and endurance of humanoid robots are closely related to the engineers’ design skills and experience.
Reports indicate that some teams replaced the heavy and power-consuming dexterous hands of their robots with lighter composite plastics to “reduce weight”; others equipped their robots with shoes to address foot wear during running; some teams enhanced the robots’ running stability through technical optimizations… This competition is less about humanoid robots running a marathon and more about a contest of technological levels and capabilities. The robots are competitors and also representatives of cutting-edge technology; their running style is a beautiful landscape of technological and industrial development.
Humanoid robots running on the track have a journey that extends far beyond this marathon.This marathon venue is not only a showcase of cutting-edge humanoid robot technology in the country but also a new point for humans to attempt to lead robots towards practical applications.
Through an “extreme test” of marathon competition, the maturity of related robot technologies can be verified, performance improvements can be identified, and even technological innovation can be driven, opening new spaces for the development of technology and industry. Participating companies claim that the results of the robots’ “marathon” are expected to promote their products in disaster rescue, long-distance inspections, special hazardous operations, intelligent manufacturing, and even allow robots to enter homes for elderly care.
When humanoid robots cross the marathon finish line, the industrial marathon of the intelligent era has just begun.This year’s government work report clearly states the establishment of a growth mechanism for future industrial investment, cultivating future industries such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied intelligence, and 6G.
The Beijing Robot Industry Innovation Development Action Plan (2023-2025) also proposes to accelerate the innovative development of the city’s robot industry, creating a global hub for the robot industry. As a typical representative of embodied intelligence, humanoid robots continuously attempt “marathon challenges” in technological innovation and scene deepening, which will lead to more possibilities and allow them to “deeply enter ordinary households”.
Every step of the robot on the marathon track is a footprint of human wisdom and a significant step forward for technology.Running on the marathon track is not just about reaching the finish line, but also about running towards a new starting point for industrial development. More technology companies are competing in the arena of humanoid robots, and the marathon track of emerging industries will continue to widen.
Source: Beijing Evening News
