Robot Flash Smashes Half-Marathon Record

A groundbreaking event in Beijing saw the humanoid robot Flash achieve a new world record in the half-marathon. The robot completed the challenging 13-mile course in an astonishing 50 minutes and 26 seconds. This time significantly surpassed the existing human world record, held by Jacob Kiplimo, by almost seven minutes.

This feat represents a dramatic leap in robotic capability, especially compared to last year when the winning humanoid took nearly three hours for the same distance. The advanced robot was developed by Honor, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer that has recently expanded its focus to robotics.

Honor's entry into the robotics field, showcased at Mobile World Congress with a robot phone and humanoid model, suggests a growing trend. The company noted that its expertise in consumer electronics, particularly thermal management and hardware reliability, provides a strong foundation for stable robotic motion.

This development could signal increased competition from other tech giants, with reports of Apple developing a home robot. Furthermore, China's latest five-year plan explicitly prioritizes humanoid robot development, indicating strong national support for the sector's growth.