At the 2026 Beijing Yizhuang Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, the humanoid robot “Flash” won the championship with an impressive finishing time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds. Behind this achievement lies a key technological innovation developed by the team of Professor Luo Xiaobing, Chinese Dean of the China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy (ICARE).

The robot’s advanced heat dissipation system incorporates the “slotless liquid magnetic coupling suspended micropump” developed by Professor Luo’s research team. This technology was successfully transferred to industry in 2023 through collaboration with Casstar and further developed into Huake CoolCore (Shanghai) Power Tech Co., Ltd., a technology enterprise specializing in liquid-cooled micropump systems.

This industrial breakthrough effectively solved one of the major technical bottlenecks faced by humanoid robots during long-duration and high-speed operation: overheating. By ensuring efficient thermal management, the technology played a crucial role in supporting the robot’s stable performance throughout the competition.

Advanced Liquid Cooling Technology for Humanoid Robots

The 2026 Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon attracted widespread public and scientific attention. While human runners naturally dissipate heat through perspiration, thermal management remains a critical challenge for humanoid robots operating continuously under intense physical conditions.

According to researchers from Huake CoolCore (Shanghai) Power Tech Co., Ltd., liquid cooling technology currently represents one of the most effective solutions for robotic heat dissipation. A typical robotic liquid cooling system consists of a circulation loop, a micropump, a water-cooled radiator, and associated pipelines. Heat generated by motors and moving components is transferred to the cooling liquid and then dissipated through the radiator system.

At the center of this system is the micropump, which must simultaneously satisfy three demanding requirements for humanoid robots: high performance, compact size, and exceptional reliability.

Based on liquid-magnetic coupling suspension technology, the research team developed the HD01 series high-speed suspended pumps, capable of achieving full-degree-of-freedom contactless rotor suspension, thereby completely eliminating mechanical friction.

Technical Advantages and Engineering Performance

The high-speed suspended pump developed by the team offers several major engineering advantages:

• Extremely High Rotational Speed. The pump can operate at rotational speeds exceeding 20,000 revolutions per minute, approximately three to six times faster than conventional solutions. This enables it to fully satisfy the cooling requirements of humanoid robot joint motors while overcoming complex pipeline resistance.

• Compact and Lightweight Design. The system can be miniaturized to a diameter of only 30 millimeters and weighs less than 100 grams, making it easy to integrate within robotic structures while having minimal impact on payload capacity.

• Exceptional Reliability and Impact Resistance.  Equipped with a specialized shock-dissipation structure, the pump can withstand impact forces up to 500G during operation. This allows it to tolerate strong vibrations and accidental falls while maintaining continuous and stable performance.

Together, these characteristics provide an effective solution combining compactness, high efficiency, and long-term operational reliability for advanced humanoid robotics applications.

From Scientific Research to Industrial Application

Professor Luo Xiaobing’s research team successfully transformed this laboratory innovation into industrial technology through collaboration with industry partners and startup incubation platforms. Under the support of Casstar and its alumni innovation ecosystem, the technology evolved into a specialized high-tech enterprise capable of delivering practical engineering solutions for emerging robotic industries.

Mi Lei, founding partner of Casstar, emphasized that one of the key similarities between human long-distance runners and marathon-running humanoid robots lies in efficient heat dissipation. Just as the human body regulates temperature through perspiration, robots rely on liquid cooling systems to continuously remove heat generated by motors and mechanical movement. Without effective thermal management, robots would quickly suffer from overheating and operational failure during prolonged activity.

Broader Significance for Advanced Engineering and Robotics

The success of “Flash” in the Beijing Yizhuang Humanoid Robot Half Marathon demonstrates not only progress in humanoid robotics, but also the growing importance of interdisciplinary engineering innovation combining fluid mechanics, thermal management, advanced manufacturing, and intelligent systems.

From laboratory research to industrial deployment, the achievements of Huazhong University of Science and Technology continue to contribute to cutting-edge technological development in fields such as robotics, intelligent manufacturing, and sustainable engineering systems.

This accomplishment also highlights the important role played by ICARE and its associated research teams in promoting innovation at the intersection of energy systems, advanced engineering technologies, and industrial transformation.