By Eduardo Baptista
BEIJING (Reuters) – Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21-km (13-mile) course.
The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidVP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120 cm (3.9 feet), others as tall as 1.8 m (5.9 ft). One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile.
Some firms tested their robots for weeks before the race. Beijing officials have described the event as more akin to a race car competition, given the need for engineering and navigation teams.
Over the past year, humanoid robots have appeared at marathons in China but not raced. This is the first time they have raced alongside humans.
China is hoping that investment in frontier industries like robotics can help create new engines of economic growth. Some analysts, though, question whether having robots enter marathons is a reliable indicator of their industrial potential.
Alan Fern, professor of computer science, artificial intelligence and robotics at Oregon State University, said contrary to claims from Beijing officials that such a race requires “AI breakthroughs”, the software enabling humanoid robots to run was developed and demonstrated more than five years ago.
“(The robot half-marathon) is more of a hardware endurance demonstration,” he said.
“Chinese companies have really focused on showing off walking, running, dancing, and other feats of agility.
“Generally, these are interesting demonstrations, but they don’t demonstrate much regarding the utility of useful work or any type of basic intelligence,” Fern said.
(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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