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Englishعربي
Englishعربي
A humanoid robot built by Chinese smartphone maker Honor shattered the human half-marathon world record on Sunday in Beijing, completing the 21.1-kilometer race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds—more than six minutes faster than Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, who set the mark of about 57 minutes last month in Lisbon. According to reports from TechCrunch and Bloomberg, the autonomous robot outperformed not only humans but also last year's robotic frontrunner, which took over two hours and 40 minutes to finish the inaugural event.
More than 100 humanoid robots from various Chinese companies joined about 12,000 human runners on parallel courses to prevent collisions, as detailed by outlets like Fox News and LiveNow from FOX. Roughly 40% of the robots operated fully autonomously, while the rest were remotely controlled, with Beijing's E-Town tech hub confirming the split. Honor's entry clinched victory under weighted scoring rules that favored autonomy, even though another Honor robot—remote-controlled—clocked an even quicker 48 minutes and 19 seconds.
The dramatic leap from last year's glitch-prone race, where only about 20 robots participated and many failed to finish, highlights China's accelerating push in robotics and AI, as noted by Bloomberg's coverage. Engineers emphasized testing structural reliability, advanced cooling systems, and navigation in challenging conditions over pure speed. The winning robot featured long legs mimicking elite athletes, around 37 inches, to sustain high performance without overheating.
Not everything went smoothly: some robots stumbled at the starting line or veered into barriers, underscoring ongoing hurdles in real-world dexterity and perception beyond controlled races. Experts like Professor Jenny Waycott, cited in video reports, pointed out that while impressive, such feats test endurance for potential uses in hazardous environments rather than everyday commercial tasks requiring fine motor skills.
Spectators marveled at the milestone. "It's the first time robots have surpassed humans, and that's something I never imagined," one father told the Associated Press, while another called it a signal of a new era. Engineers from Honor, including Du Xiaodi, suggested the tech could transfer to broader applications.
This event spotlights Beijing's heavy investments in humanoid robotics amid a global tech rivalry, particularly with the United States, positioning China as a leader in AI-driven automation. It affects industries from manufacturing to emergency response, where reliable, fast-moving robots could transform dangerous jobs.
Looking ahead, organizers and companies plan to refine autonomy and obstacle handling for future races and deployments. As robotics advances, these competitions will likely benchmark progress, drawing more international scrutiny on how quickly machines close the gap with human capabilities.