Training for Beijing's Humanoid Half-Marathon Is Gruelling

THE STREETS of Yizhuang will be crowded on April 19th. Humanoid robots will run alongside thousands of living, breathing humans in a half-marathon through the industrial-technology park in Beijing. More than 300 robots are expected to start—that is far more than at the first such race last year, when just 21 bots competed (only six finished; the rest tripped, overheated or otherwise ran out of puff).

4月19日，亦庄的街道将会拥挤不堪。人形机器人将与数千名活着的人类一起在北京的工业技术公园参加半程马拉松比赛。预计将有超过300台机器人参赛——这远远超过去年首届此类比赛的21台机器人（只有6台完成；其余的绊倒、过热或以其他方式耗尽了气力）。

crowded adj. 拥挤的

The streets were crowded with tourists during the holiday.

假期期间，街道上挤满了游客。

competed v. 竞争，参赛

Over 100 athletes competed in the championship.

超过100名运动员参加了锦标赛。

tripped v. 绊倒

The robot tripped over an unexpected obstacle on the track.

机器人在赛道上被意外障碍物绊倒。

overheated v. 过热

The computer overheated after running for several hours.

计算机运行数小时后过热了。

ran out of phr. 用完，耗尽

The electric car ran out of battery halfway through the journey.

电动汽车在行程中途耗尽了电量。

Last year's robot winner was the imposing Tiangong Ultra, a tall lightweight bot painted midnight black. It crossed the line in two hours and 40 minutes (seven minutes and 35 seconds per kilometre). This year teams are hoping their robo-athletes will run faster and without needing to be controlled remotely. About four in ten of the entrants are autonomous; the rest are in some way steered by humans.

去年机器人冠军是雄伟的天宫Ultra，这是一款高大的轻型机器人，涂着午夜黑。它以2小时40分钟（每公里7分35秒）的成绩冲过终点线。今年各团队希望他们的机器人运动员能跑得更快，且无需远程控制。大约十分之四的参赛者是自主的；其余的以某种方式由人类引导。

imposing adj. 雄伟的，壮观的

The imposing building stood at the center of the city.

那座雄伟的建筑矗立在城市中心。

lightweight adj. 轻量的，轻型的

The new laptop is lightweight and easy to carry.

这款新笔记本电脑轻便易携带。

painted v. 涂漆，着色

The walls were painted bright white to reflect sunlight.

墙壁被涂成亮白色以反射阳光。

robo-athletes n. 机器人运动员

The robo-athletes competed in various challenges at the exhibition.

机器人运动员在展览会上参加了各种挑战。

remotely adv. 远程地

The drone can be controlled remotely using a smartphone app.

无人机可以使用智能手机应用程序远程控制。

autonomous adj. 自主的

Autonomous vehicles are becoming increasingly common on roads.

自动驾驶汽车在道路上越来越常见。

steered v. 引导，操控

The human operator steered the robot through the obstacle course.

人类操作员引导机器人穿过障碍训练场。

Such technological contests are not new. In 2004 America's defence agency offered a $1m prize for the winner of an autonomous-vehicle race in the Mojave Desert. That competition is credited with fostering early innovations in the self-driving car industry. More recently, America's big tech firms have put up cash for academics and startups to compete at solving fiendish engineering problems in real-world environments.

这种技术竞赛并非新鲜事。2004年，美国国防部在莫哈韦沙漠为自动驾驶汽车比赛获胜者提供100万美元奖金。这项比赛被认为促进了自动驾驶汽车行业的早期创新。最近，美国大型科技公司为学术研究人员和初创企业提供资金，让他们竞争解决现实环境中的棘手工程问题。

defence agency phr. 国防机构

The defence agency announced new funding for research projects.

国防机构宣布为研究项目提供新资金。

autonomous-vehicle n. 自动驾驶汽车

Autonomous-vehicle technology has advanced significantly in recent years.

自动驾驶汽车技术近年来取得了重大进展。

credited with phr. 被认为...的功劳

The company is credited with revolutionizing the smartphone industry.

该公司被认为改变了智能手机行业。

fostering v. 培养，促进

The program is fostering innovation among young entrepreneurs.

该项目正在培养年轻企业家的创新精神。

fiendish adj. 棘手的，极困难的

The engineers tackled the fiendish problem with creative solutions.

工程师们用创造性解决方案解决了这个棘手问题。

The robots in Yizhuang will be judged on factors in addition to speed, such as their real-time decision-making, endurance and gait. China has more than 150 humanoid-robot makers, plus many more research teams in universities and government labs. All want attention, investment and state support, and the race can help to attract them. This year's champion will win guaranteed orders worth over a million yuan ($147,000).

在亦庄，机器人除了速度外还将根据实时决策、耐力和步态等因素进行评判。中国有超过150家人形机器人制造商，还有更多大学和政府实验室的研究团队。所有这些都希望获得关注、投资和国家支持，而比赛可以帮助吸引它们。今年的冠军将赢得价值超过100万元人民币（147,000美元）的保证订单。

real-time decision-making phr. 实时决策

Real-time decision-making is crucial in autonomous driving systems.

实时决策对自动驾驶系统至关重要。

endurance n. 耐力，持久力

Marathon runners need excellent endurance to finish the race.

马拉松运动员需要出色的耐力才能完成比赛。

gait n. 步态，步法

The robot's smooth gait impressed the judges.

机器人平稳的步态给评委们留下了深刻印象。

humanoid-robot n. 人形机器人

Several humanoid-robots participated in the rescue operations.

几个人形机器人参与了救援行动。

guaranteed orders phr. 保证订单

The winner receives guaranteed orders from major corporations.

获胜者获得大公司的保证订单。

The state stands to gain, too. The race, hosted by Yizhuang's administrative committee, is meant to prod fledgling robotics firms to innovate and compete. Yizhuang claims it has already attracted over 300 firms in the robotics supply chain to its industrial areas. Officials will test local champions against rivals from across China, and see if state money is being well spent. In August the town offered firms 100m yuan in computing resources, prototyping of early designs and subsidies for each robot sold. Officials want their firms to set the pace in the larger race against humanoid-robot makers elsewhere, especially those in America.

国家也将获益。这场由亦庄行政委员会主办的比赛旨在推动新兴机器人公司创新和竞争。亦庄声称已在其工业区吸引了300多家机器人供应链企业。官员们将测试本地冠军与来自全中国的竞争对手，看看国家资金是否花得值。8月，该镇向企业提供1亿元计算资源、早期设计原型和每售出一台机器人的补贴。官员们希望他们的企业在与来自美国等其他地区的人形机器人制造商的更大竞争中走在前列。

prod v. 推动，激励

The government programs prod companies to invest in research.

政府项目推动公司投资研究。

fledgling adj. 新兴的，初创的

The fledgling startup quickly gained market share with its innovative product.

这家新兴初创公司凭借其创新产品迅速获得了市场份额。

supply chain n. 供应链

Disruptions in the supply chain affected production schedules.

供应链中断影响了生产计划。

computing resources phr. 计算资源

Cloud computing resources allow small companies to scale quickly.

云计算资源使小公司能够快速扩展。

prototyping n. 原型开发

Rapid prototyping缩短了产品开发周期。

快速原型开发缩短了产品开发周期。

subsidies n. 补贴，资助

Government subsidies helped promote renewable energy adoption.

政府补贴帮助促进了可再生能源的采用。

set the pace phr. 领先，领跑

The company aims to set the pace in the global technology race.

该公司旨在全球技术竞赛中领先。