Beijing’s humanoid robot innovation center delivered 15 “Tian工” (TianGong) robots to leading universities and industrial partners on March 19, preparing for the upcoming half-marathon race designed to test the robots’ capabilities. The delivery, announced via the “Beijing Release” official account, included six “具身天工 3.0” (Embodied TianGong 3.0) robots and nine “具身天工 Ultra” models, alongside access to the “慧思开物” (HuiSi KaiWu) general-purpose embodied intelligence platform.
The universities receiving the robots are Peking University, Beihang University, Beijing University of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). Industrial partners include Weilai (NIO) and China Shipbuilding, who will utilize the robots for secondary development.
The “Tian工 Ultra” robots are specifically designed for endurance and speed, intended to compete in challenging environments. Tang Jian, CTO of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, stated the center aims to surpass amateur marathon times achieved last year, with a goal of competing at a professional level. Last year, a “Tian工” robot completed a half-marathon in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds.
The 2026 Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon, scheduled for April 19, will feature a “human-robot co-running” innovation, with 12,000 human runners competing alongside the intelligent robots. This year’s race marks a shift from remotely controlled robots to teams incorporating autonomous navigation. More than 20 teams from enterprises and universities are participating in the autonomous navigation testing phase, a new addition to the competition.
The “慧思开物” platform provides partners with a comprehensive technical foundation, encompassing both hardware and software capabilities. The delivery of these robots and the supporting platform represents a significant step in the development and application of humanoid robotics in China.
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