A humanoid robot recently showcased its impressive speed at a half-marathon in Beijing. This robot, built by Honor, a well-known Chinese smartphone maker, completed the 13-mile race in just 50 minutes and 26 seconds. This time is notably faster than the human world record held by Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda, who finished a similar distance in about 57 minutes earlier this year.
This race, part of Beijing’s technological push, revealed significant advancements compared to last year’s event. Last year, the top robot finished in over two hours. However, not all robots had smooth rides. Some stumbled at the start, while others ran into barriers. Interestingly, about 40% of the robots managed to navigate the course on their own, while the rest relied on remote control.
In another twist, a different robot from Honor, controlled remotely, crossed the finish line first in 48 minutes and 19 seconds. However, the autonomous robot took home the title due to scoring rules favoring self-navigating machines. Runners-up from Honor finished in just under 52 minutes, and one robot even acted as a traffic officer during the event.
China is in a race not just for speed but for technological dominance, especially compared to the U.S. The country’s five-year plan aims to push the boundaries of science and technology even further, focusing on developing humanoid robots and their use.
According to a recent report by Omdia, three Chinese firms—AGIBOT, Unitree Robotics, and UBTech Robotics—are leading in the global market for general-purpose robots. Each shipped over 1,000 units last year, with AGIBOT and Unitree Robotics exceeding 5,000 units.
It’s clear that the competition in robotics is heating up. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect more exciting developments in this field in the coming years.
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Technology, Robotics, Business, World news, General news
