Over 70 registered teams participated in the test, including four international teams. Both autonomously navigating and remotely controlled robot teams took part in the nighttime trial. Compared to the previous year, the number of participating teams has increased nearly fivefold, exceeding one hundred teams. These teams are divided into autonomous navigation and remote control categories, with autonomous teams making up nearly 40% of the total. The scale, diversity of technologies, and scope of testing have all reached record highs, necessitating this comprehensive rehearsal to refine procedures and ensure efficient event operation.
A key highlight and challenge of this edition is the first large-scale application of autonomous navigation technology. The robots face significant hurdles in perceiving and making decisions within complex, changing environments, placing substantial demands on computational power. Furthermore, the long-distance running poses a severe test of the robots' endurance and energy management capabilities. Maintaining dynamic balance and precise gait control, especially during high-speed running or sharp turns, requires extremely fast, adaptive adjustments to prevent falls due to shifts in center of gravity.
The event's rules have undergone a systematic upgrade across five areas: stricter regulations on human intervention, more scientific starting and movement protocols, clearer scoring and penalty guidelines, standardized supply and equipment management, and enhanced safety and emergency procedures.
Conducted to the standard of "full process, full scenario, and full elements," this test was the first to follow the complete official 21.0975-kilometer route. It adhered to the official schedule, track rules, and support systems, covering both autonomous and remote-controlled teams, urban road and ecological park environments, and both technical competition and service support aspects. The stress test aimed to identify potential issues, optimize procedural details, and validate technical solutions.
The entire event chain—from initial assembly and course management to recharging, finish line logistics, emergency protocols, vehicle dispatch, timing, and security—was put through a practical drill to identify risks and standardize operations. The test comprehensively evaluated the stability and reliability of humanoid robot technology, laying a solid foundation for the successful execution of the main event.
Team placements for the test were determined uniformly based on technical data submitted by each team, ensuring an open and orderly process. As a pre-event simulation, the focus was on refining procedures and troubleshooting; the results are for reference only and will not count toward official rankings. The performance data collected during the test is for validation purposes and does not represent the expected level of competition in the formal race.
While robot speeds over short distances have improved significantly, with some teams predicting half-marathon times approaching those of elite human athletes, the final outcome of this ultimate test of comprehensive performance and adaptability to complex terrain remains highly anticipated. The official 2026 Beijing Yizhuang Half-Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon is scheduled to commence on the 19th, promising to provide significant impetus for the robotics industry and accelerate the transition of humanoid robots from laboratory research to real-world application.
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