Robots line up for a race during a press conference Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011, announcing the world's first full marathon for robots will be kicked off on Feb. 24 in Osaka, western Japan.
A technology company is organizing the world's first marathon for robots in Japan, a country known for its love of gizmos.
So far, five robots have entered the event, expected to last four days next week. Organizer Vstone Co. said Wednesday that five it will demonstrate the machines' durability and maneuverability.
The "Robo Mara Full" race kicks off Feb. 24 and is open only to androids with two legs. The robots must complete 422 laps around a 110-yard (100-meter) indoor racetrack to cover 26 miles (42 kilometers). Survivors of the nonstop race -- except for battery changes and repairs -- are expected to hit the finish line on Feb. 27, when their human counterparts run in the popular Tokyo marathon.
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