Watch this Russian humanoid robot fall flat on its face seconds into its debut to the 'Rocky' theme - Business Insider
"My team is already giving me a drip of pure electricity and cleaning the lenses on my cameras, so I can see better and handle the attention of a dozen camera flashes," the robot says in the video.
Key takeaways
The most recent developments in humanoid robotics include Russia’s debut of its first AI‑powered humanoid, AIDOL, which dramatically lost balance and fell on stage during a Moscow technology showcase on November 14, 2025, prompting organizers to pull the robot from view and highlighting ongoing challenges in calibration and lighting for new bipedal systems. In contrast, Chinese firm UBTech announced on November 17, 2025 that it has begun mass‑production of its Walker S2 humanoid, a model that can autonomously swap its depleted battery pack for a fresh one, enabling near‑continuous operation without human intervention, and is already secured by a 159‑million‑yuan data‑center contract. Meanwhile, a study published the same day ranked Boston Dynamics’ Atlas as the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, noting its 9 km/h speed, 18 kg payload, and 50 degrees of freedom, while China’s Unitree H2 placed fourth with notable agility and dexterity. These stories illustrate a split in the field: high‑profile setbacks for emerging entrants alongside significant strides in autonomy and performance from established manufacturers.
"My team is already giving me a drip of pure electricity and cleaning the lenses on my cameras, so I can see better and handle the attention of a dozen camera flashes," the robot says in the video.
Humanoid robots have become a top investment category as companies like Tesla, which manufactures a 5-foot-8 humanoid robot known as Optimus, and Figure, which develops a humanoid robot named Helix, build machines to augment or even replace the human labor force. One of Russia's first humanoid robots, known as AIDOL, toppled over in front of a crowd in Moscow during its reveal on Tuesday as "Gonna Fly Now," the theme song from the movie "Rocky," played in the background.
A Moscow news agency posted the video of the robot's fall after the incident.
The company, a Russian startup called Artificial Intelligence Dynamic Organism Lab, or AIDOL, like the robot's name, posted a statement to Telegram on Thursday in response to the media attention. Subscribe Newsletters
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One of Russia's first humanoid robots face-planted during its public debut
By Lakshmi Varanasi
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