On April 19th, the “Man-Machine Run” half marathon was held in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, also known as “Beijing Yizhuang”, sparking discussions online.
According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, 20 teams of humanoid robots from research institutes, robot clubs, universities, and human runners participated in the race. The race started from the South Gate of Phase One of Nanhaizi Park, passing through popular landmarks such as the Paulownia Avenue, Wenbo Bridge, Tongming Lake Park, and finally reaching Tongming Lake Information City, covering a total distance of 21.0975 kilometers.
It was introduced as the first endurance test for humanoid robots in an open environment over a long distance.
Many spectators gathered at the scene to watch the excitement unfold. As reported in the “Qilu Evening News” video, some robots ran out of battery midway and had to recharge; some encountered malfunctions and were treated on the spot by support staff; while others fell down, got back up with help, and continued running without fixing their heads properly.
The event has stirred up controversy online. Netizens commented, “This is not a marathon but walking robots.” “Your robot is just strolling, can you call that running? Too casual.” “Two humans serving one robot.” “Several can be diagnosed: one has Parkinson’s disease, one has ataxia, one has depression.” “Many elderly players.” “What a nostalgia for the Paralympics.”
“Just toy robots, remote-controlled robots.” “So for now, robots can only watch, not yet worth buying.” “The cost is too high.” “Just puppetry.”
“By participating in this event, it is suggesting that humanoid robots are mainly used for entertainment. This is not a proud moment for humanoid robots.” “Just don’t let them interfere with people’s daily lives, lest they take away jobs from the locals…”