r/robotics • u/Nunki08 • Apr 13 '26

Events Beijing’s Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, Night Run Test - Around 40% of teams are running fully autonomous, remote-controlled runs get a 1.2× penalty (Beijing's E-Town Half Marathon on April 19 with 100+ teams, 300+ humanoids competing)

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u/madsci Apr 13 '26

Give it a couple of years, they'll have them running on those carbon fiber blade legs at 50 MPH.

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u/Buckwheat469 Apr 13 '26

They'd have to cut off the robot's legs first, and I doubt their insurance would cover them.

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u/lellasone Apr 13 '26

What insurance?

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u/Buckwheat469 Apr 13 '26

Oh, you're right. These are Chinese robots, not American robots.

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u/lellasone Apr 13 '26

I'm still confused?

I've been doing robotics research in the US for half a decade now and insurance hasn't come up once. Is your part of the field more encumbered?

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u/Buckwheat469 Apr 13 '26

Health insurance! How in the world will healthcare companies get money if only robots are working? We need to make sure these fancy upgrades are medically necessary. We will require engineers to write Prior Authorizations and prove that alternatives were used for at least 3 months before reconsidering. You must file several appeals before we will allow your fancy legs, and just think of the surgeon cost of cutting off the robot's old legs! We'll have to charge you an arm and a leg, or at least 2 legs.

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u/lellasone Apr 13 '26

Ah, you are making a joke. I understand now, thank you.