Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 14 (Reporters Guo Yujing, Zhang Xiao, Li Chunyu) The world's first half marathon running together with humanoid robots will start at 7:30 on April 19 in Yizhuang, Beijing. Recently, the reporter saw at the test site of the Beijing Smart E-sports Event Center that the robot participating team is further improving the robot performance through simulation and road tests, and preparing for the official debut.

　　The 2025 Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon adopt the innovative format of "human-machine running" 21.0975 kilometers. It is expected that more than 9,000 mass runners and nearly 20 robot companies will participate in the competition during the competition.

　　The reporter saw at the scene that the asphalt pavement of the test site was close to the competition road conditions, and the humanoid robot was running at a speed of about 10 kilometers per hour, and could complete "hot-swap" battery swap in more than 10 seconds without turning off the machine. In addition, in order to reduce the impact of running on the robot's body and joints, some humanoid robots wear "sports shoes" to play a protective role.

　　At the test site, the organizer also opened independent rooms for each robot participating team to facilitate robot assembly, testing and optimization. Liang Liang, deputy director of the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee, introduced that the organizing committee carefully designed the semi-marathon route, which incorporates natural, humanistic and scientific elements, and passes through landmark points such as Nanhaizi Park, Cultural and Bible Bridge, and Paulownia Avenue.

　　The reporter learned that the terrain of this competition is not simple for the robot. It includes flat asphalt roads, pothole crack roads, long and gentle slopes, short steep slope sections, as well as stone roads, grasslands, gravel roads and other areas. The robot needs to accurately adjust its pace and posture, and control its power and braking.

　　Liang Liang said that the humanoid robots participating in this competition have different aspects, including their own emphasis, some are good at running, some are high in appearance, and some are good at communicating. Although they all use pure electric drive, their starting methods and running postures are different.

　　Guo Yiji, technical director of the "Tiangong Team", introduced that the "horse-running" of humanoid robots needs to be prepared at the levels of embodied intelligent "big and big brain" and ontology optimization. Specifically, in terms of embodied intelligence, we must first continuously improve the running speed and explore the peak boundaries of joint torque and speed; secondly, we must improve the stability of movement, and make corresponding adjustments by improving the accuracy of humanoid robots' perception of their own state and environmental state during movement; in addition, we must try to improve the "anthropomorphism" of robot running, and by importing human motion data, the running posture of the robot is more natural.

　　Regarding the robot body, Guo Yijiu said that it is necessary to reduce the structure of the robot, find the balance point between weight and strength, and also couple the legs, improve the thermal conductivity and air-cooling heat dissipation technology, and improve the stability of movement and endurance.

　　In terms of the competition system, the humanoid robot "horse running" is similar to a racing competition. The robot participates in teams and is equipped with human navigators, operators and engineers who run synchronously. The process of robot battery replacement is similar to "changing tires" in racing competitions, and the starting mode will also be timed separately in the form of "qualifying".

　　"This competition has three major functions: technical testing platform, capability display platform, and application promotion platform. The half-marathon is used as a scenario to test the technical capabilities of humanoid robots, allowing the robot to go out of the laboratory, display scientific and technological innovation achievements, and promote multi-scenario applications." Liang Liang said, "The quality of the competition is by no means the only 'rue' for evaluating the technical strength and human-machine cooperation ability of the participating teams. Each team will improve each other during the preparation and finishing the competition, and then show its capabilities in combination with specific practical scenarios."

　　"Humanoid robots run marathons with humans, which is the first time in the world for the organizers, participating teams, human contestants and audiences. The completion of robots is not the end point, but the starting point for industrial development and mutual learning." Liang Liang said that he hopes that the outside world can look at this competition with an inclusive and encouraging perspective. Humanoid robots are born to serve humans, and their small step will be a big step in the development of human science and technology.

[Editor in charge: Chen Tingyu]