A Russian humanoid robot failed dramatically during its first encounter with real people. At a technology exhibition in Moscow on Tuesday, the robot, accompanied by two individuals, entered the stage before a hall full of journalists waiting to see what developers described as "Russia's first humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence." However, it quickly stumbled and fell face down. The incident occurred when the robot tried to raise its right hand to greet, stumbled, wavered, and then fell to the ground, according to The Washington Post. The two men accompanying the robot rushed to pull it off the stage, while other team members attempted to draw a black curtain to cover up the mishap. The robot, named "AIDOL," was developed by a Russian company of the same name. Vladimir Vitokhin, CEO of AIDOL, stated that the autonomous robot is capable of three basic tasks: movement, object manipulation, and communication. According to the company's website, the 95-kilogram, 186-centimeter-tall robot can display over 12 basic emotions, carry loads up to 22 pounds, and move at speeds up to 3.7 miles per hour. Vitokhin noted that the robot had been tested in various conditions before its launch, "on gravel, carpet, laminate, expanded clay, and slippery floors," according to The Moscow Times. He suggested that the robot's fall on Tuesday might have been due to power fluctuations and other environmental factors, including lighting, but added: "Of course, everyone felt sorry for it, but this is also one of its functions: to evoke empathy."
