Tiangong Ultra, a humanoid robot developed by the state-sponsored research institute X-Humanoid, made headlines last week. Its victory during the Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon! This pioneering event served as the world’s first half-marathon for autonomous humanoid robots, demonstrating the incredible progress in robotics and artificial intelligence.
The race venue in Beijing’s Olympic Green. Suffice to say, Tiangong Ultra plowed through the tough 21-kilometer course and emerged victorious with an incredible finishing time of 2 hours, 40 minutes. Now that’s an impressive performance! That’s more than twice the finishing time of the men’s race winner, who finished the marathon in a blistering 1 hour and 2 minutes. Despite the slower pace, Tiangong Ultra stood out as one of only four robots to finish ahead of the four-hour cutoff time.
To get through the course, Tiangong Ultra needed human guidance. A designated human pacer went to the front, waving a flag with an air horn attached. This allowed the robot to better mimic their gestures. Bringing together human and machine, this partnership was crucial to the overall teamwork of this one-of-a-kind sporting event.
During the race, Tiangong Ultra’s battery needed changing three times. This strikes at the heart of the challenges technology still has in these endurance events. Regardless of any limitations, the robot’s feat is a landmark accomplishment for the field of robotics.
Tang Jiang, Chief Technology Officer of X-Humanoid, expressed pride in their creation’s accomplishments:
“I don’t want to boast but I think no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong’s sporting achievements.” – Tang Jiang, X-Humanoid’s Chief Technology Officer.
The Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon served as a showcase for robotic capabilities. It was a rare chance to get a feel for what’s coming next with humanoid technology. Only four robots crossed the finish line before time ran out. Tiangong Ultra’s performance is an encouraging indication of progress in the field of robotics and competitive spaces.
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