Imagine robots sprinting, balancing, and even swapping batteries mid-race—all while tackling a grueling 21-kilometer course! 🏁 A groundbreaking milestone unfolds this Sunday in Beijing, where the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon will test the limits of embodied AI and mechanical endurance. Welcome to the future of sports!
Organizers revealed new competition rules designed to push innovation: bipedal robots must execute ~250,000 precise joint movements during the race. But here's the twist—teams can replace batteries (or even entire robots!) during pit stops… for a price ⏳. Each replacement adds a time penalty, turning the race into a strategic battle blending speed, efficiency, and engineering smarts.
"The first robot to cross the finish line might *not* win," says Wang Guolin, deputy head of the event's robot group. Final scores deduct penalties from total race time, making this as much about flawless execution as raw speed. Who will optimize battery life? Who’ll risk a full robot swap? 🤔
This isn't just a race—it's a live lab for next-gen AI advancements, proving robots can handle real-world challenges (think: disaster rescue or healthcare logistics 💡). Whether you're a tech geek, sports fan, or just futurism-curious, Beijing’s robo-marathon is *the* event to watch this week. Stay tuned for updates—and let’s see who conquers the course! 🌟
Reference(s):
New rules defined for world's 1st humanoid robot half-marathon
cgtn.com