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AIdol, Russia’s Humanoid Robot, Falls at Debut as Developers Pause Demos

The small startup blames a calibration glitch, pausing demos for balance and control reviews.

Overview

  • The biped toppled seconds after walking onstage to the Rocky theme at Moscow’s Yarovit Hall, with staff covering and removing the prototype as the presentation was cut short.
  • Idol’s CEO Vladimir Vitukhin said lighting and calibration issues likely triggered the loss of balance and stressed the machine remains in a testing phase.
  • Engineers have taken the robot offline from public view to inspect balance systems and control software before any future showcase.
  • The company says AIdol runs offline on a 48‑volt battery for up to six hours, uses 19 servomotors for movement and facial expressions, and is built with 77% domestic components targeted to reach 93%.
  • AIDOL told outlets it is a self‑funded team of about 14 people and posted a tongue‑in‑cheek “recovery” clip as viral footage fueled scrutiny of Russia’s robotics push under sanctions and global competition.