Russia’s Introduction of AI-Powered Robot Spoiled by Faceplant Event During Public Reveal

Russia's Introduction of AI-Powered Robot Spoiled by Faceplant Event During Public Reveal

Russia’s Introduction of AI-Powered Robot Spoiled by Faceplant Event During Public Reveal


Xpeng’s humanoid robot featuring synthetic skin, or the 1X Neo humanoid model that’s currently available for pre-order. It’s a competition among robots to determine who can develop the most sophisticated technology. When they eventually launch for the public, they sometimes encounter issues, while at other times they function flawlessly. The former was the case with Russia’s inaugural humanoid robot, which hilariously fell flat during a technology showcase in Moscow. Making its entrance to the “Rocky” theme song and initially moving awkwardly, it faceplanted, leading the nearby crew to promptly carry it off stage and hide it from sight.

Named AIdol, this human-like robot that took a tumble has been created by Vladimir Vitukhin alongside a group from the robotics company Idol. It represents the country’s first AI-powered humanoid robot, and similar to other models introduced, it is designed to replicate human body movements to a certain extent, featuring realistic motion and gestures. On its inaugural attempt at walking, it appeared more like it was struggling, before experiencing a malfunction. However, this fall doesn’t inherently indicate the robot is fraught with problems. Experts suggest it illustrates the difficulties in achieving human-like balance systems in early prototypes. Vitukhin also appeared to embrace the situation, remarking that “A good mistake turns into knowledge, and a bad mistake turns into experience.”

What transpired after the fall?