THE ESSENTIALS IN 30 SECONDS

  • The first CMG World Robot Mount Tai Competition, organised by China Media Group, took place on November 2 in Tai'an, Shandong, with about 90 teams.
  • A Unitree A2 robot dog entered by Beijing Lingyi Technology, a Unitree affiliate, won the quadruped race in 43 minutes 41 seconds.
  • The fastest humanoid, from Beijing team Zhishen Lingyue, took 27 minutes 26 seconds on a shorter course; other humanoids fell or overheated.

Mount Tai, one of China's most revered mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage site, became a test track for legged machines on November 2. State broadcaster China Media Group (CMG) staged the first CMG World Robot Mount Tai Competition in Tai'an, Shandong province, drawing around 90 teams, all from China according to Forbes.

Five events on stone steps

The programme covered a humanoid race, a race for legged robots, a load-carrying contest for quadrupeds, an exoskeleton category and an all-terrain exploration challenge. Some teams tried to haul fragile cargo such as fresh eggs and watermelons up the route, CBS News reports, though it did not say how much arrived intact.

The main course started at Hongmen and climbed more than 3,000 steps. Sources describe it slightly differently: CBS News gives 2.4 miles with more than 1,970 feet of ascent, a Sina robotics bulletin puts it at 3.9 km with over 3,100 steps, and Forbes cites about 2.8 miles ending at Zhongtian Gate, roughly halfway to the summit. Humanoids ran a shorter official segment; Sina says it ended at Doumu Palace after about 1.6 km and more than 600 steps.

Uneven step heights, shifting gradients, protruding cobblestones and tight bends were the main difficulties, a judge told Forbes.

Results and failures

A Unitree A2 robot dog entered by Beijing Lingyi Technology, a company affiliated with Unitree Robotics, won the quadruped race in 43 minutes 41 seconds. Shanghai Gaoyi Technology, also using Unitree machines, placed second, according to Forbes. The quickest humanoid came from Beijing-based team Zhishen Lingyue, which covered the shorter course in 27 minutes 26 seconds, CBS News reports.

Humanoids struggled more visibly. One collapsed on the cobbles and needed engineers to revive it, and another tumbled down a flight of stairs. Sina reports that a Unitree G1 development unit entered by Yongda Zhicheng overheated mid-race and was carried down the mountain on a stretcher after its operator withdrew it.

Why it matters

The contest fits a wider Chinese effort to show off embodied AI in public, high-profile settings. Forbes notes that IDC data released in September credited Chinese vendors with 95% of humanoid robots shipped worldwide in the first half of the year. Outdoor stairs remain a harder test than flat tracks, and the results suggest four-legged designs still hold a clear edge on rough terrain. Independent, standardised performance data from the event has not been published.