Russian AI Robot Takes A Dive Moments After Its Debut

Humanoid robots were once confined to the realms of science fiction, but a number of tech companies are working to bring them into the real world. While Tesla is relying on Hollywood technology to give its Optimus humanoid robot a more human-like range of motion, other startups are only just preparing their first prototypes to show off to spectators. One such startup is AIDOL, a Russian tech company that debuted its walking humanoid robot earlier in November. Unfortunately for the company, the robot suffered a major malfunction on its first big appearance, walking on stage and briefly waving at gathered journalists before stumbling and collapsing.

Two AIDOL employees who were walking close behind quickly scooped the fallen robot off the floor and dragged it off-stage, while another employee attempted to unfurl a curtain to hide the scene from onlookers. In the commotion, the curtain became tangled, leaving the audience with a mostly unobstructed view of the damaged robot and the debris it had left scattered around the stage. According to the startup, when its development is complete, the robot will be able to walk at speeds of up to 3.7 mph and work autonomously for up to six hours. It will also be able to communicate with a range of facial expressions, with AIDOL saying that it will express 12 basic emotions and many more microexpressions.

While its debut demonstration didn't end the way that AIDOL had hoped, building a robot that can walk in any capacity is no small feat. After all, when Tesla first announced its intention to build Optimus, it used an actor in a robot costume in place of an actual robot. Since then, Tesla has made rapid progress, debuting its Optimus Gen 2 robot in late 2023. The American tech company remains one of the best-known names in the humanoid robot race, but it has plenty of competition.

Several tech companies have designed their own humanoid robots, including Boston Dynamics and Chinese startup Hanson Robotics. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot has a particularly impressive range of physical abilities — it can get up from a lie-flat position and pick up a wide range of objects — while Hanson Robotics' Sophia robot is designed to mimic human conversation. AIDOL joins this fast-evolving group of international tech companies, and its CEO told Russian media that it would learn from the issues that arose during its debut. According to its makers, the AIDOL robot remains in early development for now, but its AI system is able to learn from its mistakes, including its falls.