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Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon

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      China

      China

      Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon

      2025-03-16 02:40 Last Updated At:16:27

      Tiangong Ultra, an upgraded version of the China-made "Tiangong" humanoid robot, is currently undergoing tests in preparation for a half-marathon next month in Beijing.

      The race, set for April 13 in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in the capital city's southeast, will feature both robotic and human athletes competing on the same route but on separate tracks to ensure safety for all participants.

      The competition is open to global robot companies, research institutes, robot clubs and universities. So far, 23 organizations have signed up for the competition.

      Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Tiangong Ultra has a bigger size, longer legs, and a stronger hip compared to its old version. In addition, unlike Tiangong, which has two iron sheets as feet, Tiangong Ultra wears a pair of "shoes" to minimize impact on its feet and ankle joints from running, according to engineers at the center.

      "Aside from upgrades to Tiangong's body and structure, we have also greatly improved its motion algorithm, strengthening its capabilities for gait planning, body coordination, and motion control," said Wei Jiaxing, director of branding and public relations at the center.

      In a race between Tiangong and Tiangong Ultra, the upgraded version demonstrated larger strides, a more stable running form, and a significantly higher speed.

      "Its highest speed can reach 12 kilometers per hour. Considering the stability and endurance of the Tiangong robot when running outdoors, we may slightly reduce the speed. But we are still very confident that it can complete the half marathon," Wei said.

      Bolstered by strong capital investment, China' robotics industry is growing rapidly, with versatile applications becoming increasingly prominent across a wide range of fields, including industrial automation, healthcare and service industries.

      According to a report on the humanoid robot industry released at the 2024 World AI Conference in Shanghai, China's humanoid robot market scale was approximately 2.76 billion yuan (about 381.28 million U.S. dollars) last year.

      By 2029, it is expected to expand to 75 billion yuan (about 10.36 billion U.S. dollars), which would account for 32.7 percent of the global market.

      Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon

      Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon

      Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon

      Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon

      Senior Chinese official He Lifeng on Sunday met with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in Beijing, and the two sides exchanged views on both China-U.S. economic and trade relations and the global economy.

      Noting that China's economy is maintaining its recovery momentum, He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, said that China's innovation-driven development has achieved remarkable results, while market expectations continue to improve, and adding that domestic demand potential and internal circulation space are huge.

      China's new development pattern is taking shape at a faster pace, the fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain unchanged and its prospects remain bright, He said.

      Noting that U.S.-China relations are very important and green transformation is the general trend, Paulson said that the Paulson Institute is willing to continue to contribute positively to the stability of U.S.-China relations and green and low-carbon development.

      Senior Chinese official, former U.S. treasury secretary exchange views on China-U.S. economic, trade relations

      Senior Chinese official, former U.S. treasury secretary exchange views on China-U.S. economic, trade relations

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