Russia’s first AI humanoid robot collapsed on stage seconds after making its debut at a technology event in Moscow.
Video showed the robot, Aldol, staggering onto the stage to the soundtrack of “Gonna Fly Now” from the film Rocky during a showcase of Russia’s emerging robotics sector on Tuesday.
But as the humanoid lifted its hand to wave at the crowd, it lost balance and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
Developers were seen hastily trying to pick the robot back up before giving up and trying to cover it with a black cloth. But this ended up being tangled up with the robot which was moving erratically on the ground.
The robot, presented by the Russian robotics firm Idol, was being shown at a forum of the New Technology Coalition in Moscow, an association of companies for the development of humanoid robots including Promobot, Double U Expo, Idol and Robot Corporation.
The exhibit aimed to demonstrate Russia’s progress in artificial intelligence and anthropomorphic robotics as the country positions itself in the global race for next-generation humanoid machines.
Developers had hailed the robot’s ability to fulfil three human functions, including moving on its legs, manipulating objects and communicating with people. But instead it showcased Russia’s failings in the robotics sector.
Russia’s domestic robotics development has lagged behind since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The sector had previously relied on foreign manufactures but they all withdrew from the country when the war began, triggering discussions among authorities about how to boost progress in an increasingly significant global sector.
In 2023, just 2,100 robotic complexes were installed in Russia compared to 25,000 in Germany and 300,000 in China, according to a report in bne IntelliNews.
Sanctions affecting critical supply chains, a brain drain of top developers after the full-scale invasion and structural problems such as low innovation have all contributed to the bottleneck.
In July, Vladimir Putin said that the “implementation of robotics in the economy and the industry of Russia is one of the most important areas” but described it as “regrettably low so far”.
Vladimir Vitukhin, the Idol chief executive, insisted that his robot falling over during its debut was due to poor lighting and calibration issues, adding that the humanoid is still undergoing testing.
He said: “This is precisely the kind of real-time learning where a successful mistake turns into knowledge, and an unsuccessful one turns into experience. I hope that this mistake turns into experience.”
State news agency TASS shared more flattering clips of the robot making its second outing somewhat later, attached to a support mechanism which used a string attached around its neck area to hold it upright. Pieces of its shattered frame could still be seen on the stage.
Developers have since removed the robot from public display for the time being while they assess its balance systems, according to reports.