Some of the humanoid robots set to compete in Beijing's upcoming half-marathon completed their first practice run on Sunday.
The race, scheduled for April 19 in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, will feature both robotic and human athletes competing on the same route but on separate tracks. Guardrail fences or median strips will separate the lanes to ensure safety for all participants.
Over 20 teams from leading companies and universities participated in the test run.
This year's event marks a significant technological shift, introducing autonomous navigation robot teams that rely solely on electronic maps and on-board decision-making systems. This contrasts with last year's race, where robots were controlled or guided remotely by technicians.
The race course has also seen a major overhaul, featuring more challenging city slopes, undulating terrains, and paths that run through public parks. The complex route pushes robots to demonstrate higher levels of terrain adaptability and sophisticated motion control algorithms.
The main goal of this practice run was to validate the robots' technical readiness and to evaluate their autonomous operation in a realistic urban environment. Focus areas included environmental perception, real-time navigation, decision-making and endurance, ensuring the robots can adapt to the race's diverse conditions.
On April 19, 2025, Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, clocked two hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, winning this historic 21.0975-kilometer race among 20 competing teams. Meanwhile, Ethiopian runners won both the men's and women's half-marathons.
Humanoid robots complete first practice run for half-marathon in Beijing
The summer animation box office boom has fueled creative industries and tourism consumption in Shanghai as movie goers swarm into cinemas and theme parks for All Wishes Come True and Toy Story 5.
Inspired by the legend of the Eight Immortals, the Chinese animated film All Wishes Come True has become a summer box-office hit, with the box office earning exceeding 600 million yuan (about 88.6 million U.S. dollars) in less than eight days after its release on July 18.
The story follows eight ordinary people who meet by chance and embark on an unexpected journey. Through a series of challenges, they gradually discover their strengths and eventually become the Eight Immortals known to generations of Chinese people.
The film mixes comedy, adventure and traditional Chinese visual elements and offers a new interpretation of a story that has been told for generations.
"It's fascinating and moving. The Eight Immortals crossing the sea I used to know about impressed me that the Eight Immortals might be really deities, but now I understand they seem to be actually mortals," said viewer at the UME cinema in Shanghai Xintiandi Plaza.
With innovative storytelling and high-quality production, the film has attracted a significant number of middle-aged and elderly viewers among the audience.
"Half of our six screening rooms are dedicated to All Wishes Come True. The overall production quality of domestic animations has improved dramatically. The animations are no longer just for young children, they appeal to all age groups now," said Lu Ying, assistant manager of the cinema.
At the cinema's retail section, many moviegoers purchase film-related souvenirs, boosting the cinema's revenue.
"On a daily basis, revenue from these merchandise sales now accounts for nearly 17 to 18 percent of our daily box office intake," said Zhao Heqian, duty manager of the cinema.
Beyond physical merchandise, animation IPs are extending their reach into tourism through cross-sector collaborations.
At Shanghai Disneyland's Toy Story Land, many visitors travel here specifically after watching the movie Toy Story 5 to immerse themselves in the world of the silver screen characters.
"I'm really drawn to the female image of Jessie, so I tried to imitate her today. My friend cosplays Woody here," said a visitor at Shanghai Disneyland.
The film, also released during the summer slot, has grossed over 280 million yuan in the Chinese mainland as of late July.
Summer animation box office boom fuels creativity, tourism consumption
