An elderly woman was taken to hospital in Macau after being “frightened” by a humanoid robot that abruptly appeared behind her before it was escorted away by police, prompting social media users to joke it had been “arrested”.
According to authorities, the woman, who was on her phone at the time, was startled when she suddenly noticed the robot behind her near the Lok Yeung Fa Yuen residential complex in Patane last Thursday.
Video circulating online shows the woman angrily confronting the robot before two officers arrive. One officer is seen placing a hand on the robot’s shoulder as they escort it away.
The woman was sent to hospital despite not being injured. She was later discharged and did not pursue the matter.
As news of the encounter circulated online, some social media users joked the robot had been “arrested”.
The robot reportedly belongs to an education centre in Macau that had been using it for promotional activities.
Police told the media the robot was returned to its operator nearby, a local man in his 50s, who was reminded to exercise caution.
The robot was reportedly a compact bipedal humanoid model from Chinese firm Unitree Robotics. Launched in May 2024, it boasts flexible motion surpassing human joint limits, advanced obstacle avoidance capabilities and depth cameras among its key features.
The centre’s person in charge told the media the robot was being guided by mixed programming and remote supervision at the time.
He said the incident occurred on a narrow pavement when the woman stopped to check her phone. As the robot waited behind her, she suddenly turned around and might have been startled by its lights, he said.
Over the past six months, the centre has carried out similar promotional activities with the robot at the Ruins of St Paul’s, along the Cotai Strip, and at other Macau attractions.
He apologised for the distress caused.
Source:South China Morning Post
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
