Honor's humanoid robot shatters human half‑marathon world record with a 50‑minute run

Humanoid robots demonstrated significant speed improvements, outperforming human competitors and setting a new record during a Beijing half-marathon event on April 19. This performance signals a strategic push within China's tech sector, which is rapidly scaling up mass production of humanoid robots to explore their practical applications in diverse real-world environments.

The Honor robot completed the 13-mile (21-kilometer) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, establishing a new benchmark for robotic endurance. This time notably surpassed the human half-marathon world record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds, previously set by Ugandan long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo. Approximately 300 robots from about 100 Chinese teams competed in the Beijing event, reflecting a substantial increase in both participation and technological advancement since the previous year's fastest robotic time of 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Du Xiaodi, a test development engineer for Honor, detailed key design elements of the record-breaking robot. Its construction features 37-inch (95-centimeter) legs, a design choice inspired by the biomechanics of top human athletes. The robot also incorporates a custom liquid-cooling system, adapted from cooling technologies found in consumer electronics, to efficiently manage heat generated during sustained high-speed operation. This integration allows for prolonged performance without thermal degradation.

This performance illustrates the expanding capabilities of humanoid robotics, particularly in areas of endurance, speed, and autonomous navigation over extended distances. Both Chinese and US tech industries are investing billions of dollars to advance these robotic platforms. The industry focus is shifting from highly specialized industrial robots to more versatile humanoid models, designed to flexibly integrate into human-centric workplaces and tackle a wider range of tasks. The next phase of development will concentrate on extending robotic functionality beyond controlled race environments into complex, adaptable real-world roles.