Lightning Breaks Every Expectation in Beijing’s Robot Half-Marathon

Lightning crossed the finish line in Beijing after completing the 13-mile half-marathon course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds. It blasted the men’s half-marathon world record into small bits and crossed the finish line ahead of roughly 12,000 runners hammering the pavement in their respective lanes.

Honor created the impressive red machine in under 12 months. They used all of their current electronics knowledge to create a runner capable of reaching ultimate speed while reducing everything to its minimal requirements. Lightning stands about 5 feet 5 inches tall & has legs that are over 3 feet long. As a bonus, they’re modeled after the strides of top-level human athletes, complete with long legs capable of changing at incredible speeds.

The power to its legs is transmitted at a pace equivalent to that of a high performance sports car engine, providing it with all of the zip it requires to continue moving at a rapid step rate for the whole distance. To ensure that everything ran properly, a battery switch was performed at 10.6 kilometers. There is no need for a head or eyes because the robot uses a multitude of LiDAR sensors to scan the way ahead and keep it on course, similar to self-driving automobiles. The short small forearms and ultra slim stature also aid reduce weight and air resistance, which is a huge plus. The extra parts and bobs were left in the workshop.

At Beijing’s E Town event, some 300 robots milled about on the pavement. Approximately 40% of them were running freely, each with their own autonomous systems, but Lightning dropped behind the group until it took a tumble, that is for sure. There was a significant difference from previous year’s event. Only six machines completed the circuit by 2025, and the poor old champion took more than two and a half hours. Zhao Haijie, the human winner, finished in 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 47 seconds, but the robots quickly overtook him.

Engineers have worked tirelessly to create tighter joints, better sensors, and more sophisticated control software. The race provided them with an opportunity to test their new mods in public and assess how they compared to last year’s performance and each other. There were technicians on hand in their golf carts, ready to assist if any of the robots struggled to maintain their balance or overheated. There is still work to be done on things like balance on turns, but the difference between this year and the previous year is clear.
[Source]