A humanoid robot at a major Chinese festival appeared to malfunction and lunge at spectators, raising fresh concerns about the rise of autonomous machines.
The unsettling footage from the Tianjin Winter Gala Festival on February 9 shows one of several Unitree H1 robots suddenly veering toward a man who had extended his hand for a handshake. Instead of a polite response, the machine flailed its arms, aggressively pushed forward, and had to be restrained by security and a so-called robot supervisor. Before the video cuts off, the robot seems to regain control, but the moment was enough to set off alarm bells.
The Unitree H1 isn’t some sci-fi prototype locked away in a lab—it’s a commercially available humanoid robot. Standing 5’10” and weighing over 92 pounds, this machine moves at 3.3 meters per second and boasts impressive mobility. Priced at a steep $90,000, it’s marketed as a “General-Purpose Humanoid Robot.” Apparently, one of those purposes includes unnerving festival-goers.
Unitree responded quickly, calling the incident “an accident” likely caused by a software glitch or a faulty sensor. The company assured the public that steps have been taken to prevent similar mishaps. Comforting, right? Because nothing builds confidence like a multimillion-dollar machine going rogue in a crowded public space.
Some skeptics say the video is misleading, claiming the robot was merely trying to regain balance after stumbling. Others aren’t so convinced. Social media erupted with comparisons to dystopian sci-fi, with one user bluntly calling it “a glimpse of the future.”
China has been pushing the boundaries of robotics, producing record-breaking machines that are faster, stronger, and more capable than ever. But as this incident shows, the more advanced these machines become, the more unpredictable they can be.
Five Fast Facts
- The Unitree H1 is one of the fastest humanoid robots, capable of running at 11.8 km/h.
- China leads the world in industrial robot installations, with over 1 million in use.
- Unitree Robotics also develops robotic dogs, some of which resemble Boston Dynamics’ Spot.
- The Tianjin Winter Gala Festival is one of China’s largest seasonal celebrations, drawing thousands each year.
- Several countries, including the U.S. and Japan, are investing heavily in humanoid robots for workforce applications.
