Why Did This Robot Go Haywire And Endanger Its Handlers?

A disturbing video circulating on social media seems to show a chilling scenario: a rogue killer robot. In the short clip, a humanoid robot malfunctions, thrashing its limbs and coming dangerously close to two nearby technicians.

A Powerful and Potentially Dangerous Humanoid Robot

People believe the robot is a Unitree H1, a versatile humanoid model priced at US$90,000. It has previously danced with humans, climbed stairs, and even performed backflips. It stands 5.9 feet (180 cm) tall and weighs 104 pounds (47 kg).

That puts it on par in size with an average adult, but what’s truly concerning is its ability to generate a powerful joint torque of 365 lb.ft (360 Nm), enough to lift heavy loads. When its limbs are swinging at high speed, the risk of serious injury to anyone nearby is real.

But is this truly a real-life scene out of Terminator? Maybe not. Some technical explanations and context have surfaced, though there’s been no official confirmation from Unitree yet. Still, it’s worth examining—here’s what might actually be happening in the video, which reportedly first been posted on Reddit last week.

Loss of Balance and Overcompensation

The YouTube channel ‘Chris Wabs’ suggested that the clip filmed during a public event aimed to showcase the H1’s capabilities. Notably, the robot appears tethering its head to a stand when powered on—something that may disrupt its balance and orientation.

The robot might interpret its situation as a loss of balance and react with exaggerated corrective motions—what may appear as violent thrashing.

Alternatively, nearby technicians could have caused the unexpected behavior by a malfunction or an error in a program they ran.

The video is certainly disturbing, but much of that impact may stem from the absence of context around the event. And honestly, if a robot can get thrown off just by feeling unsteady, we might not need to fear an AI-led robot uprising anytime soon.

An earlier video from February—though I haven’t confirmed its authenticity—seemed to show a Unitree humanoid at a festival acting aggressively or menacingly toward attendees, until security intervened and subdued it. This new clip is also unsettling and brings up an important question: how do you safely defuse a potentially dangerous situation involving a robot?

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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