A one-of-a-kind event is fast approaching in southeast Beijing’s Economic-Technological Development Area (often called “Beijing E-Town”). Slated for April 13, this half-marathon will see humans and humanoid robots compete on the same 21km route.
As registrations begin on March 5, global anticipation is quickly mounting. While the basic format has been public knowledge for some time, newly released rules give a clearer picture of the event and its stakes.
Additionally, recent announcements of more than 10,000 robot placements in key industries amidst the marathon preparations suggest something far larger is at stake for China’s robotics sector.
Extended competition rules
For the robot category, organizers have set a cutoff completion time of roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes. Unlike human runners, robot teams can switch batteries mid-race or swap out their robots in a relay setup. Each change, however, comes with a 10-minute penalty added to the team’s final time. READ MORE...
