分类： technology

In a landmark demonstration of advancing robotics capability that stunned observers, a humanoid robot developed by Chinese consumer technology firm Honor has broken the half-marathon world record previously held by a human elite athlete, capping a dramatic year of progress in the sector at a landmark competition in Beijing on Sunday.

Named Flash, the Honor-built humanoid crossed the 21-kilometer finish line of the 2026 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in a time of 50 minutes 26 seconds. That mark is nearly seven minutes faster than the existing human record of 57 minutes 20 seconds set by Ugandan distance star Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon, Portugal just one month prior.

The milestone comes just 12 months after the inaugural edition of the humanoid robot race, where the winning entry crossed the line more than two hours slower, at 2 hours 40 minutes 42 seconds, and only six out of nearly 20 competing teams managed to get their robots across the finish line at all. This year’s event tells a story of explosive growth in the sector: more than 100 teams from 13 Chinese provinces (up from just five in 2025) plus five international teams competed, with a record-high share of participants completing the full course. All three podium positions were claimed by humanoids built by Honor, a company that has pivoted from smartphone manufacturing into humanoid robotics development in only 12 months.

Du Xiaodi, an Honor engineer who served as Flash’s team coach, noted after the race that the firm has not yet launched commercial humanoid robot sales, and still faces key technical hurdles to overcome, particularly in the development of fully independent high-performance electric motors for the devices. Honor was far from the only competitor: other participating entries came from established Chinese robotics firms including Unitree and Noetix.

A year ago, one of the most memorable moments of the event came when human engineers ran alongside their robots the entire way, holding laptops to adjust performance and fix navigation errors mid-race. This year, more than 40 percent of competing robots operated fully autonomously. Using on-board sensors, cameras and embedded processing systems, the robots independently perceived their surrounding environment in real time, completing complex tasks including self-localization, course mapping, dynamic path adjustment and obstacle avoidance without any human intervention.

Organizers also increased the difficulty of this year’s course to put robot adaptive capabilities to a stricter test, adding additional curves, varying elevation and multiple uphill and downhill segments that wind through scenic local landmarks including the E-Town milu deer park and tree-lined urban avenues. All three top-finishing robots successfully navigated the full challenging course entirely on their own.

The breakthrough performance comes as Beijing positions humanoid robotics as a core strategic future industry, expected to follow the growth trajectories of smartphones and smart connected vehicles to become a key pillar of the city’s innovation economy. Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology Party secretary and director Jiang Guangzhi explained that the city is actively developing real-world testing scenarios to accelerate the growth of this new economic engine.

To support that goal, Beijing has already built more than 18,000 square meters of dedicated robot testing grounds and data collection centers across the E-Town development zone, Haidian District and Shijingshan District. These facilities generate hundreds of thousands of hours of high-quality performance data annually, providing critical support for technological innovation and iteration for both startups and established industry leaders.

A city-wide action plan for embodied intelligent technology innovation and industry development sets clear targets for 2027: Beijing aims to build a fully domestic integrated upstream and downstream industry chain for embodied intelligence, achieve breakthroughs in more than 100 core technologies, and cultivate a humanoid and robotics industry cluster with an output value of hundreds of billions of yuan.

Industry data underscores China’s leading position in the global humanoid robot market right now: global shipments of humanoid robots reached approximately 17,000 units in 2025, with Chinese manufacturers accounting for 14,000 of those units, more than 80 percent of total global supply. Looking ahead, the second World Robot Games is scheduled to open in Beijing this coming August, where the world will get another look at the cutting edge of robotic capability coming out of the country’s fast-growing innovation ecosystem.

On a race day in Beijing’s Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town), a milestone event unfolded Sunday that underscores China’s rapid advancement in humanoid robotics: an autonomous humanoid built by Chinese consumer electronics firm Honor claimed the top spot at the world’s second annual robot-only half-marathon, clocking a finish time that outpaces the official human world record for the 21-kilometer distance.

The winning Honor robot crossed the finish line in 5 hours? No, 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to an official post from Beijing E-Town on China’s super-app WeChat. That time beats the current human men’s half-marathon world record of 57 minutes 31 seconds set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo at the 2025 Lisbon Half Marathon in March by nearly seven full minutes. A separate remotely operated Honor robot finished even faster at 48 minutes 19 seconds, but under the competition’s weighted scoring framework that prioritizes autonomous navigation, the autonomously running unit was awarded the official championship. Two additional autonomous Honor robots took second and third place, finishing in 51 minutes and 53 minutes respectively.

This dramatic improvement from the 2024 inaugural race is impossible to ignore: last year’s winning robot crossed the line after 2 hours 40 minutes and 42 seconds, a time that is more than double the 2025 winner’s result. Even with the clear progress, the competition was not without small missteps that highlight the technology is still maturing: one robot collapsed immediately at the starting line, while another collided with a course barrier along the route. Organizers noted that roughly 40 percent of all competing robots completed the course fully autonomously, with the rest operating via remote control.

Du Xiaodi, a test development engineer leading Honor’s robot project, explained the design choices that enabled the standout performance. The team modeled the robot’s proportions off elite human long-distance runners, outfitting it with 95-centimeter legs, and integrated an in-house developed high-performance liquid-cooling system to manage heat output during extended operation. Du added that the core technologies refined through this racing project have broader practical potential: innovations like structural reliability testing and liquid-cooling systems can be adapted for future industrial use cases, even as full commercialization of general-purpose humanoid robots remains years away.

Spectators at the joint human-robot race event expressed astonishment at how far the technology has come in just 12 months. Sun Zhigang, who attended the 2024 race and returned this year with his son, called the progress “enormous”, noting that a robot beating the human world record was something he never expected to see so soon. Another attendee, Wang Wen, who attended with his family, observed that the humanoid racers had already overtaken human runners as the main attraction of the day. “The robots’ speed far exceeds that of humans, this may signal the arrival of a new era of robotics,” he said. Beyond the race itself, event organizers even deployed a humanoid robot to work as a traffic marshal, directing participants using a combination of arm gestures and pre-programmed audio cues.

The breakthrough performance comes as humanoid robotics has become a core priority of China’s national technology development strategy. The country’s recently released 14th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) identifies accelerating the research, development, and real-world deployment of humanoid robots as a key target, part of Beijing’s broader push to lead global innovation in frontier technology sectors amid ongoing tech competition with the United States.

Industry data already reflects China’s growing clout in the general-purpose embodied intelligent robot space. A 2025 global assessment from London-based technology research firm Omdia ranked three Chinese robotics firms — AGIBOT, Unitree Robotics, and UBTech Robotics — as the only first-tier global vendors based on shipment volume. All three companies shipped more than 1,000 units of general-purpose intelligent robots in 2024, with AGIBOT and Unitree Robotics each shipping more than 5,000 units, confirming China’s position as a major mass producer of advanced robotic systems.

The race result is being seen widely as a visible public demonstration of how quickly Chinese humanoid robot capabilities are advancing, moving beyond lab demonstrations to real-world dynamic navigation and sustained operation that challenges even the limits of top human athletic performance.

As the global push for decarbonization reaches every corner of industrial activity, the international shipping sector — a long-contributing source of global carbon emissions — is facing mounting pressure to green its operations. Now, China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC), the world’s largest shipbuilding group, has delivered a major breakthrough in wind-assisted propulsion technology with the development of one of the world’s largest commercially viable rotor sail systems, built to capture growing global demand for sustainable shipping solutions.

Designed and developed by CSSC’s Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute, an R&D center specializing in advanced shipbuilding materials and engineering techniques, the unnamed new rotor sail has already completed a full suite of ground-based system tests, clearing a key milestone ahead of commercial deployment. Engineers leveraged the institute’s deep existing expertise in green composite materials and wind turbine blade design to refine the system’s performance and durability, resulting in a cutting-edge product that outperforms many smaller existing rotor sail models on the market.

Standing 35 meters tall with a diameter of 5 meters, the new system ranks among the largest rotor sail designs ever brought to testing phase. Each unit can reach a maximum rotational speed of 180 revolutions per minute, generating over 355 kilonewtons of thrust to help propel fitted vessels. For context, rotor sails — also known as Flettner rotors — operate on a simple but effective physical principle: upright spinning cylinders mounted on a ship’s deck interact with surrounding wind flow to create usable thrust, reducing the need for fossil fuel-powered propulsion.

First invented in the 1920s, rotor sail technology saw extremely limited adoption for nearly a century, deployed only on a small handful of cargo ships and experimental test vessels before the 2010s. But as the global shipping industry, which moves more than 80% of world trade volume by volume and accounts for roughly 3% of global carbon emissions, has faced growing mandatory decarbonization requirements, the technology has experienced a rapid renaissance. Today, rotor sails are increasingly being integrated into commercial vessels ranging from bulk carriers to roll-on/roll-off ships.

Feng Wei, project manager for the new CSSC rotor sail, outlined the urgency of decarbonization in a press briefing Friday, noting that the green transition in shipping has evolved from an optional sustainability measure to a mandatory global requirement aligned with international climate goals. “Wind-assisted propulsion represents one of the most promising and practical pathways for the shipping industry to achieve immediate emission reductions,” Feng said.

Unlike other wind-assisted propulsion technologies, Feng explained, rotor sails offer unique practical benefits that make them ideal for widespread commercial adoption. They take up minimal deck space, do not interfere with standard cargo loading and unloading operations, operate with a high degree of automation, and require almost no modifications to a vessel’s original structure or standard operating procedures. These characteristics make them suitable for installation across most major commercial vessel types, including bulk carriers and oil tankers, with average fuel savings ranging from 5% to 25% per voyage.

Beyond emission reductions, the system delivers tangible economic benefits for shipowners: it helps buffer against volatile global oil prices and cuts down on future carbon tax expenses that will come into force as international decarbonization regulations tighten. The new design also incorporates a network of smart exterior sensors, boosting its automation capabilities and making it exceptionally easy to control and maintain.

Industry projections from leading global research organizations cited by Feng forecast that around 7,000 ships worldwide will be fitted with wind-assisted propulsion systems by 2030, with that number jumping to roughly 21,000 by 2050. CSSC’s new large-format rotor sail positions the Chinese shipbuilding giant to capture a substantial share of this fast-growing global green shipping technology market, while supporting the global shipping industry’s collective push to cut carbon emissions and meet international climate targets.

China’s ongoing human space exploration program reached a new milestone earlier this week, when the three-person Shenzhou XXI crew stationed at the nation’s Tiangong space station successfully wrapped up their third extravehicular activity, according to official announcements from the China Manned Space Agency.

The excursion, which concluded at 1:36 a.m. Beijing Time on Friday, saw mission commander Senior Colonel Zhang Lu and spaceflight engineer Major Wu Wu spend roughly five and a half hours operating outside the massive orbiting outpost before returning safely to the Wentian experimental module. The third member of the crew, payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang — a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences — remained inside the space station throughout the spacewalk to coordinate operations and provide critical in-orbit support.

Working in tandem with ground control teams and leveraging the station’s robotic arm for assistance, the astronauts checked off every scheduled task on their itinerary, including the installation of protective shields designed to mitigate damage from orbital space debris and comprehensive inspections of extravehicular hardware.

This spacewalk carries special historical significance for China’s human space program: it marks the 27th extravehicular activity conducted by Chinese taikonauts overall, and it is the seventh spacewalk for commander Zhang Lu. With this milestone, the 49-year-old Hunan-born astronaut has become the new record holder for the most spacewalks completed by any Chinese astronaut. Zhang previously completed four spacewalks during his first mission, the six-month Shenzhou XV expedition that launched in November 2022.

The Shenzhou XXI mission is China’s 16th crewed spaceflight, and the trio has served as the 10th long-term resident crew aboard Tiangong, currently the only operational space station fully developed and operated independently by a single nation. The crew has now lived and worked in low-Earth orbit for more than five months, having arrived at the station on November 1, 2025.

Over the course of their stay, Zhang Lu and his crewmates have carried out a wide range of work, from cutting-edge scientific experiments in space life science, human physiology and microgravity physics to routine maintenance and operations. These routine tasks include in-orbit environmental monitoring, regular equipment checks and upkeep, and organization of cargo delivered to the station. The team has also completed required emergency preparedness training, including a full-system pressure emergency response drill and on-orbit emergency survival training, alongside all pre-deployment preparations for extravehicular activities.

In a surprise announcement included in the agency’s news release, officials confirmed that after comprehensive technical analysis and risk assessment, the Shenzhou XXI mission will be extended by approximately one additional month. The adjustment is designed to further test and validate key technologies required for long-duration human spaceflight, and to allow the crew to make full use of additional mission supplies and materials transported to the station by the uncrewed Shenzhou XXII spacecraft.

Shenzhou XXII launched in late November 2025 on an uncrewed resupply mission to Tiangong, dispatched after a window damage incident affected the return capsule of the earlier Shenzhou XX mission during its reentry. In addition to delivering critical replacement hardware, the spacecraft carried a large volume of additional mission supplies to support extended operations aboard the station.

Looking ahead, the CMSA confirmed that the Shenzhou XXI crew will continue carrying out their ongoing scientific research and technical tasks for the duration of their extended stay, advancing China’s growing body of knowledge about long-duration human spaceflight and orbital operations.

Just four years after its official launch, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)) has emerged as a thriving technology and entrepreneurship hub in South China, rapidly attracting a growing community of researchers, innovators and industry investors.

Founded in 2022 in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, the young institution has already fostered more than 120 registered enterprises and over 240 startup incubation projects launched by its current students and academic faculty, according to university president Lionel M. Ni, who shared these latest development milestones with reporters during a recent media event.

These innovative ventures span a diverse range of high-growth, cutting-edge sectors, including advanced artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, embodied intelligence, biomedicine and new functional materials, Ni confirmed.

The rapid expansion of HKUST(GZ)’s innovation ecosystem has been backed by strong policy support from the Guangzhou municipal government. The 2024 Guangzhou government work report formally earmarked the region surrounding HKUST(GZ) for development as a dedicated innovation zone, laying out clear policy and resource frameworks to support the growth of campus-led startups.

In a key milestone for the hub, the HKUST(GZ) Innovation and Technology Transfer Base commenced full operations in the second half of 2024. The facility initially provides nearly 20,000 square meters of purpose-built incubation space for early-stage ventures founded by campus members, offering specialized infrastructure and support services to move research projects from lab to market.

“We are committed to nurturing innovative enterprises that hold independent intellectual property rights and strong core competitive edges in the global market,” Ni said, adding that the hub will continue to expand its incubation capacity and connect innovators with industry resources to accelerate the translation of academic research into commercial impact.

As a core component of Guangzhou’s strategy to build a regional innovation center, the HKUST(GZ) hub has already demonstrated strong momentum, filling a gap for technology translation and startup support in the Greater Bay Area and attracting growing attention from both domestic and international innovators looking to establish a foothold in one of China’s most dynamic economic regions.

On April 17, 2026, the China Manned Space Agency announced a key milestone in China’s low-Earth orbit space program: the three-person crew of the Shenzhou XXI mission, stationed aboard the country’s operational Tiangong space station, has successfully completed its third extravehicular activity (EVA), more commonly known as a spacewalk.

The outing, which concluded in the early hours of Friday Beijing time, saw two mission members — mission commander Senior Colonel Zhang Lu and spaceflight engineer Major Wu Fei — wrap up approximately five and a half hours of work outside the orbital outpost before re-entering the Wentian science module at 1:36 a.m. local time. The third member of the Shenzhou XXI team, payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, an academic researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, remained inside the station throughout the EVA to coordinate operations and provide critical in-station support to his extravehicular crewmates.

Working in tandem with ground control teams back on Earth and leveraging the station’s onboard robotic arm for maneuvering support, Zhang and Wu completed all pre-planned tasks scheduled for the spacewalk. These included the installation of protective space debris shields, designed to shield critical station components from micrometeoroid and orbital debris impacts, as well as comprehensive inspections of the condition of EVA support equipment stored outside the station.

This spacewalk marks not only a routine operational milestone for the Shenzhou XXI mission but also a historic first for China’s human spaceflight program. It is the 27th spacewalk conducted by Chinese astronauts since the country began its extravehicular activity program, and it is the seventh spacewalk for mission commander Zhang Lu. At 49 years old, the Hunan Province native now holds the new national record for the most spacewalks completed by any Chinese astronaut. Zhang previously notched four spacewalks during his first mission, the six-month long Shenzhou XV expedition that launched in November 2022, demonstrating his extensive experience and reliability in leading complex extravehicular operations.