Posted on 04/19/2025 1:41:04 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21-km (13-mile) course.
The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidUP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120 cm (3.9 ft), others as tall as 1.8 m (5.9 ft). One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile.
Some firms tested their robots for weeks before the race. Beijing officials have described the event as more akin to a race car competition, given the need for engineering and navigation teams.
The winning robot was Tiangong Ultra, from the Beijing Innovation Center of Human Robotics, with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. The men’s winner of the race had a time of 1 hour and 2 minutes.
The centre is 43% owned by two state-owned enterprises, while tech giant Xiaomi’s robotics arm and leading Chinese humanoid robot firm UBTech have equal share in the rest.
Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics center, said Tiangong Ultra’s performance was aided by long legs and an algorithm allowing it to imitate how humans run a marathon
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The Rosie Ruiz model comes with a drone to pluck the robot off the ground and deposit it just around the corner from the finish line - new marathon world record: 45 seconds.
Poof! It's gone with one click. You can keep clicking items and make them disappear in rapid succession.
I am an IT person, but with each passing day...I like technology less and less!
Thank goodness I am retiring soon. I am ready...:)
Yes! I, almost always, look at the Freerepublic comments before clicking on anything these days.
Unless it is a site that I already know and trust, I do not click.
lmao... ya know most have accepted the way we are herded thru life but I wont conform without a fight!! The main reason things are so outta control is because not enough people on the good side of society b*tch enough about things!! We’ve become soft and tolerant...
maybe I’m just gettin old...
(grin...)
I’ll admit to flying off half-cocked due to titles not matching their contents so I at least try to, ...not let that happen too often!...
Giant Barbie dolls for adults. Some never grow up.
Me too.
I'm told it beats the alternative.
But I guess that really depends on which way you end up going...
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