Russia's first artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot suffered an awkward moment during its grand debut in Moscow this week. Christened AIdol, the robot was unveiled in a technology event on Monday, but instead of impressing the crowd, it took headlines for an unexpected fall.
According to Newsweek, AIdol was being escorted onto the stage by two crew members to the soundtrack from the movie Rocky when it suddenly lost its balance and fell face-first to the floor. The force of the impact sent some of its exterior components flying off, sending shards around the stage.
Also Read | Snake crawls out of running car's mirror on busy Tamil Nadu road | WATCH
It was caught on camera and surfaced on all social media platforms in no time, making people laugh and sympathise with the players.
Staff race to the rescue
Footage shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows event organisers rushing to the robot's aid mere moments after the fall. They tried to shield the scene by covering AIdol with a black cloth before dragging it discreetly offstage.
The creators of the robot later explained that the mishap was due to some calibration issues during its testing phase. " I hope that this mistake will turn into an experience," said Vladimir Vitukhin, CEO of Russian robotics firm Idol, in a statement quoted by Newsweek. " This is real-time learning, when a good mistake turns into knowledge, and a bad mistake turns into experience," he added.
Social media buzz over robot’s fall
The viral video set off a flurry of online reactions.
A user commented, “They did a great job of emulating the shuffle of a geriatric that's had too much vodka.”
Also Read | Viral video shows Vladimir Putin’s ‘swollen, veiny’ hand; social media abuzz with health concerns
Another commented, “Not bad for a first try. We've been working on this for years in the States and some of the early attempts weren't much better. I really like that it came apart when it fell and they were ready with the black curtain - which failed to hide the debris.”
Another user wrote, “Robotics is hard. I am glad to see bold entrepreneurs from other countries are stepping up. It's always challenging to try. It's easy to fail. And failing publicly humbles you, which fuels the true entrepreneurs to keep going, keep trying.”
