Robots race against humans for first time in Beijing half-marathon

Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on April 19, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21km course.

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BEIJING -

The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidUP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120cm, others as tall as 1.8m. One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile.

Some firms tested their robots for weeks before the race. Beijing officials have described the event as more akin to a race car competition, given the need for engineering and navigation teams.

"The robots are running very well, very stable... I feel I'm witnessing the evolution of robots and artificial intelligence (AI)," said spectator He Sishu, who works in AI.

The robots were accompanied by human trainers, some of whom had to physically support the machines during the race.

A few of the robots wore running shoes, with one donning boxing gloves and another wearing a red headband with the words "Bound to Win" in Chinese.