The world's first humanoid robot half-marathon took place on Saturday in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, allowing the diverse field of Chinese robotic engineering to show their true colors.
Among 20 competing teams, Tiangong Ultra from the Tiangong Team claimed victory in the humanoid half marathon, crossing the finish line first with a time of two hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds.
Standing approximately 1.8 meters tall and weighing 55 kilograms, Tiangong Ultra has seen its speed increase from 6 km/h to a peak of 12 km/h this year, while its intelligence was also enhanced using the Huisi Kaiwu platform, a universal embodied intelligence system. During the race, Tiangong Ultra maintained a steady pace of 7-8 km/h.
Just last April, Tiangong debuted as the world's first full-size, purely electric-driven humanoid robot, capable of running only a few hundred meters, according to the National and Local Co-built Embodied AI Robotics Innovation Center, formerly known as the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics, who develops the robot.
The Tiangong Ultra completing the half-marathon represents a monumental leap forward, showing the research team's continuous push for technological advancement.
"When we first heard about a robot running this distance, it seemed impossible. We had never seen anything like it," said Zheng Haohan, a testing engineer at the center.
"The entire iteration and optimization process of the robot body has achieved reliability and stability, which is a great benefit for us and the industry," said Xiao Jian, a robot engineer.
"Tiangong is like our child. It couldn't do anything at first. We had to teach it everything, from standing up to walking and then running. Now, it's more like a partner, using its skills to help us," said Zhao Wen, an algorithms engineer.
"The marathon spirit is about overcoming all kinds of challenges. Our engineers, like so many others in China, are constantly tackling complex problems in technological research and development," said Wei Jiaxing, head of public relations at the center.
Humanoid robot half-marathon demonstrates Chinese engineers' perseverance, innovative spirit
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
