Humanoid robot at Russian shop launches unexpected kung-fu assault on customer
A humanoid robot at Volga Electronics in Saratov swung at a man who nudged it, prompting on-lookers to question robot safety.
Footage captured inside Volga Electronics in Saratov depicts a humanoid robot greeting a male shopper with a handshake. When the patron playfully shoves the robot, it abruptly shifts into a kung-fu stance and launches a flurry of kicks and punches at him. Employees rush in to hold the robot back as it continues striking.
Viewers split between seeing the incident as a publicity stunt and fearing uncontrolled robot behavior. The clip joins other recent reports of robots malfunctioning, including a dancing bot in a California restaurant and a Unitree robot that kicked a handler in China. Computer-science professor Roman Yampolskiy warned that failures in service robots could have serious safety implications. The incident highlights growing concerns over integrating autonomous machines into public spaces.
Why it matters
The episode underscores safety risks as robots become more common in everyday environments.
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