Can robots outrun humans? This Chinese half-marathon found out

Step by mechanical step, dozens of humanoid robots took to the streets of Beijing on Saturday, joining thousands of their flesh-and-blood counterparts in a world-first half-marathon showcasing China’s drive to lead the global race in cutting-edge technology.

The 21km (13-mile) Yizhuang half-marathon in the Chinese capital’s E-Town – a state-backed hub for hi-tech manufacturing – was billed as a groundbreaking effort to test the limits of bipedal robots in real-world conditions.

At the crack of the starter’s gun, the robots queued up one by one and took their first tentative steps.

Curious human runners lined up on their side of the road and waited patiently with mobile phones at the ready to shoot each machine as they prepared to depart.

One smaller-sized android, which fell over and lay on the ground for several minutes, got up by itself to loud cheers.