Tiangong Ultra, a humanoid robot, dazzled spectators at the Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon. This incredible invention has been developed by the government-supported research center X-Humanoid. That 2019 event, which occurred earlier this month, had the robot racing for a little more than two hours and 40 minutes to finish the course. Though this period is extremely fast in general terms, it was impressive at the time as an accomplishment in advanced robotics.
In fact, throughout the race, Tiangong Ultra needed a human partner in order to maneuver through the course properly. One human runner’s job was to stay ahead of the robot while wearing a transponder on their back. This intricate configuration provided Tiangong Ultra the ability to mimic the runner’s movements, demonstrating its impressive programming and intelligence.
Throughout the marathon, Tiangong Ultra’s battery needed to be changed three times, highlighting the technical challenges faced during the race. Despite these challenges, Tiangong Ultra persevered and finished the race. It ended up place of the handful of bots that actually made it past the four-hour mark cut-off time. Such a feat is nothing short of magical. Only four robots have managed to pull off this remarkable trick. The astounding timing on this bot’s run was particularly stunning as all of the other competing robots required a minimum of three hours to complete.
Tiangong Ultra’s time wasn’t a patch on the human competitors, who completed the half marathon in an average of one hour two minutes. Underneath this accomplishment lay some stunning accomplishments in humanoid robotics. The robot’s success at this event reflects ongoing advancements in technology and collaboration among various stakeholders involved in its development.
Tang Jiang, Chief Technology Officer of X-Humanoid, beamed as he rattled off Tiangong Ultra’s achievements. I’m not trying to brag, but I think all the other robotics companies in the West combined haven’t equaled Tiangong’s athletic accomplishments,” he stated.
Tiangong Ultra’s design and capabilities were showcased prominently during the marathon, emphasizing the potential applications of humanoid robots in various fields beyond athletics. Tiangong Ultra glided through the course with ease, displaying some of the latest technological innovations in robotics. With this demonstration, the future became very bright indeed.
