China is gearing up to host the world's first marathon that will see the participation of both human and robot runners. Scheduled for April in the Daxing district of Beijing, the half-marathon (21 km) is expected to feature at least dozens of humanoid robots competing alongside 12,000 human athletes, with the top three runners set to receive prizes, according to a report in South China Morning Post (SCMP).
As per the administrative body of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, or E-Town, the robots for the marathon have been developed by more than 20 companies. The body said the only condition for the race is that the robots must look like humans and have a "mechanical structure capable of performing motion actions such as bipedal walking or running, and not be on wheels".
"The robots should be between 0.5 metres and 2 metres (1.6 feet and 6.5 feet) high, and their maximum extension distance from the hip joint to the sole of the foot should be at least 0.45 metres," read the statement.
Additionally, both remote-controlled and fully autonomous humanoids would be eligible to take part in the race with operators free to replace the batteries midway.
Developed by China's Embodied Artificial Intelligence Robotics Innovation Center, one of the participants will be "Tiangong" -- a humanoid robot that runs at an average speed of 10 kilometres per hour, according to a report in The Daily CPEC.
Tiangong gained headlines last year after it participated in the Yizhuang Half Marathon in Beijing, running at both the start and finish lines alongside human competitors. However, April's event will be the first time that humanoids will participate in the entire race.
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Why is China developing humanoid robots?
The initiative comes at a time when China is facing demographic challenges, including an ageing population and a shrinking workforce, which have already led to significant investment in automation and robotics. The CCP government has earmarked humanoid robots as one of the key components to drive self-reliance and power economic growth in the country as it competes with the United States.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, Chinese clients installed 276,288 robots or 51 per cent of the world's total in 2023. Beijing is also planning a sporting event in August, featuring humanoid robots competing in track and field, football, and other skill-based challenges.
