Almost 100 humanoid robots prepare to race in Chinese half marathon

WorldTechnology
15 Apr 2026 • 5:00 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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A full-scale test of a humanoid robot half-marathon has been carried out in Beijing, China, just days before the official race on 19 April.

The rehearsal, held from 11 to 12 April in the city’s E-Town Economic and Technological Development Area, simulated every major aspect of the event, from route navigation and race timing to equipment coordination and emergency response.

Compared to last year, the number of participating teams has increased nearly fivefold, exceeding 100 overall, with autonomous navigation teams accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the total.

The rehearsal followed the 21.0975-kilometer route under official race timing, track rules, and support systems, testing the teams' performance in urban thoroughfares and ecological park terrain.

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