China Announces First-Ever Marathon Race Between Humans and Robots

The April race isn't China's first brush with integrating humanoid robotics into sports. In a trial run last fall, Tiangong, a bipedal robot participated in the Beijing Yizhuang half-marathon. (Credit: Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area)

China is preparing to host the world's first half-marathon, where human runners will go head-to-head with humanoid robots.

Scheduled for April, this race will see 12,000 human participants and bipedal robots from over 20 companies compete across a 13-mile course in Beijing's Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as E-Town.