A Russian company's ambitious unveiling of its latest AI-powered robot, AIDOL, took an unexpected turn when the machine faltered dramatically during its debut in Moscow.
The robot, touted as "Russias first anthropomorphic robot with artificial intelligence," was introduced with much fanfare on Tuesday, accompanied by the iconic theme from Rocky. As two handlers escorted it onto the stage, AIDOL attempted to demonstrate its capabilities by walking and raising an arm in greeting. However, the performance was cut short when the robot stumbled and fell flat on its face.
In a scene reminiscent of a theatrical mishap, staff members hurried to remove the fallen robot from the stage, while others hastily erected a black curtain to obscure the malfunction from the audience's view. The curtain itself became entangled, adding to the spectacle as AIDOL lay inert on the floor.
As reported by The Post Millennial, the incident quickly became fodder for social media users, who drew humorous comparisons between AIDOL and various political figures. One TikTok user quipped, "Why did Russia make a Joe Biden robot?" while another remarked, "Russias new humanoid robot walks just like their economy: a few shaky steps then straight down." The engineers were also humorously accused of having "accidentally loaded the Mitch McConnell profile."
The online commentary extended to critiques of the robot's technology, with some attributing its shortcomings to international sanctions. "Damn those sanctions hit Russia hard we had robots like that 25 years ago," one user noted. Another comment suggested that American company Boston Dynamics had little to fear in terms of competition from AIDOL.
AIDOL is the creation of a startup bearing the same name, which was registered last year. According to CNN, the company's CEO, Vladimir Vitukhin, outlined the robot's intended functions: movement, object manipulation, and human interaction. Standing at 6'1" and weighing 209 pounds, AIDOL is designed to express a dozen basic emotions, carry up to 22 pounds, and move at a speed of approximately 3.7 mph. Developers claim that the robot is "73 percent localized," indicating that most of its components are Russian-made.
Despite these specifications, the robot's debut left many questioning its practicality. "They walked it out there knowing damn well it was going to fall," one observer joked. Another queried the necessity of such AI technology, asking, "Can anyone explain the actual need for any of this AI robot stuff?"
The incident underscores the challenges faced by Russian technology firms in competing on the global stage, particularly in the face of economic sanctions and technological advancements from Western companies.
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