China's leading smart device provider HONOR will send its independently developed robots "Lightning" and "Energetic Boy" to participate in the 2026 Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing.
Co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government and China Media Group, the half marathon race will be held on April 19.
The robot "Lightning" integrates HONOR's latest achievements in intelligent manufacturing and embodied AI, possessing high-dynamic motion control algorithms, real-time perception and understanding capabilities, and autonomous decision-making abilities, according to its technical team.
Researchers equipped the robot with a self-developed integrated joint module to ensure that it can take big strides and runs fast.
"The prerequisite for a high step frequency is having sufficient power to swing the leg. Therefore, both the torque and rotational speed are indispensable. Our key module here can achieve a peak torque of 400 Newton-meters, which is equivalent to a high-performance car," said Yan Bin, chief architect of HONOR's new business incubation department.
Taking place in Beijing's Yizhuang District, the race will cover a total distance of 21.0975 kilometers with the route integrating urban main roads, international auto racing segments, and park ecological scenes, providing complex environment for robots to test their adaptation and decision-making capabilities.
Over 100 squads have already registered for this year's event.
To guide technological breakthroughs in areas like long endurance, human-like movement and dynamic environment adaptation, the event also innovatively introduces special awards such as the Best Endurance Award, Most Beautiful Gait Award, Best Design Award, and Best Perception Award.
HONOR's research team said the robot "Energetic Boy" is not as fast as "Lightning", but it is ready to compete for the Most Beautiful Gait Award with its flexible wrists and graceful moonwalk.
Xiao Jun, president of HONOR's new business incubation department, said the robot can be applied in various scenarios in the near future.
"In the future, our robot products can be used in scenarios like tour guide, shopping assistance and even housekeeping. The development of the robot industry chain will still require three to five years, or even five to 10 years to come. More importantly, it's about building technological capabilities. If we can achieve seamless connectivity between robots and other products in the future, the users' experience will be elevated to a whole new dimension," Xiao said.
Leading smart device producer's humanoid robots to compete in half marathon in Beijing
