During its highly anticipated debut in Moscow, a revolutionary Russian robot, claimed to be the first of its kind, took a tumble and ended up face down. As it flopped helplessly, workers rushed to conceal it behind a curtain.
In an embarrassing moment for Russia’s robotics sector, the android named AIDOL struggled during its unveiling ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday, which had around 50 journalists in attendance. The goal was to demonstrate the advanced capabilities of this innovation from a company of the same name.
As the well-known theme song “Gonna Fly Now” played, AIDOL was brought on stage by its handlers. It attempted to greet the audience with a wave, but quickly lost its balance and crashed onto the floor. Fragments of the robot broke off and scattered across the stage as it wobbled ineffectively.
The upbeat lyrics played sarcastically, proclaiming, “I’m doing my best right now! It’s tough right now!” This echoed throughout the venue. The handlers scrambled to help AIDOL, but one of them tried awkwardly to shield the scene with a black curtain. Unfortunately, it got tangled, making AIDOL even more visible as it was pulled off stage.
After a moment of stunned silence, nervous applause broke out, and clips of the mishap went viral online. In response, AIDOL’s creators—a small team of 14—issued a statement expressing their surprise at the media’s reaction to the incident.
The Russian company also shared:
Even without government backing or funding from large corporations, our dedicated team has spent years crafting the robot using personal finances, without external investment. We believe our work is currently the most cutting-edge in Russia and rivals significant international developments in some areas.
AIDOL is built to walk, talk, and interact with objects around it. This venture aligns with a broader global trend where tech firms, including Elon Musk’s Tesla, are striving to create humanoid robots that can seamlessly blend into everyday life. AIDOL is particularly notable as it is the first such robot from Russia, able to carry 22 pounds and express 12 different emotions.
The company reassured that AIDOL’s fall was not concerning and simply part of the challenges in developing advanced technology. They noted that the robot had undergone trials and could navigate various surfaces, from slippery floors to carpets. The creators suggested that voltage issues and tricky lighting during the presentation might have led to the fall.
Previously, reports indicated that Elon Musk’s Optimus robot launch did not meet expectations.
Social media users quickly chimed in, suggesting that Musk was possibly overstating his product’s capabilities, a pattern he has exhibited before. One user even compared Musk and his robot to Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, who famously misrepresented a non-functioning blood test device.
Others pointed out that Boston Dynamics has been delivering more proficient robots for quite some time now.
