In the Beijing half marathon for humanoid robots, a race that last year was accompanied by spectacular failures and falls, this year the technology has taken a huge step forward, leaving even human athletes behind.
More than 100 robots took part in the race, alongside 12 human runners, separated by safety barriers to avoid collisions.
The winner was the robot "Lightning", developed by the Chinese company Honor, which not only defeated the human competition, but also broke the world record set just a month earlier.
The robot completed the 21-kilometer distance in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, beating Ugandan athlete Jacob Kiplimo's record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds.
Rapid advancement of technology
Unlike last year, when robots often crashed or disassembled during the race, this year nearly half of them moved autonomously, without human intervention.
Honor dominated the podium, taking the top three spots with robots that used self-navigation systems and recorded record times.
However, not all robots were successful. Some crashed before the start, while others veered off the track or collided with barriers.
Although there were problems, the improvement compared to last year was noticeable.
Ever more advanced technology
The winning project's engineer, XiaoDi Du, said the "Lightning" robot had been intensively developed over a year and was equipped with long legs to mimic elite runners.
It also uses liquid cooling technology to manage the engines' intense heat.
According to Chinese media, another robot from the same company achieved an even faster time, but was not placed due to competition rules.
According to Du, the advancement in speed is not just about sports, but also about industrial applications and broader technological development.
Reactions between enthusiasm and concern
Spectators reacted with admiration, but also with concern for the future of human labor.
Some attendees described the competition as "impressive," but expressed fears that technology is developing faster than the job market can cope.
Others noted that robots are already approaching human performance in some specific areas, particularly in autonomous navigation.
China and its ambition for robotics
China is investing heavily in the development of humanoid robots, presenting them at public and television events, including artistic performances and demonstrations of physical skills.
Leading companies in this field aim for robots to be used in industry, social care and even elderly care in the future.
This is particularly important for China, which is facing a rapidly aging population and labor shortages.
According to the World Health Organization, by 2040, about 28% of China's population is expected to be over 60 years old. /GazetaExpress/
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