On Saturday, twenty-one humanoid robots participated in the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing, marking the first instance of robots racing alongside humans over a 21km course. The robots, produced by Chinese companies like DroidVP and Noetix Robotics, varied in height from under 1.2m to 1.8m, with one featuring almost human-like qualities such as feminine features and the ability to wink and smile. Beijing officials likened the event to motor racing due to the involvement of engineering and navigation teams in preparing the robots for the competition.
