Altercation between a humanoid robot and a septuagenarian, on the streets of Macau
The Macau police confirmed, this Tuesday, that an elderly woman had to be hospitalized due to an incident with a humanoid robot on the city’s streets.
It looks like a scene out of a movie, but it really happened in Macau in the Patane neighborhood, in the north of Macau, last week. The presence of a robot scared a septuagenarian.
To Lusa, the Public Security Police Corps (PSP) indicated that the robot, which was roaming the street, belonged to a tutoring center, being used for promotional activities and operated by an employee of the center.
The elderly woman’s discomfort resulted in an argument that soon went viral when the video of the argument was shared on social media.
The First Humanoid Robot Arrested by Police🤖👮♀️
One night in Macau, a citizen was taking a walk with his humanoid robot (Unitree G1).
A passing woman yelled at him (perhaps frightening her), essentially saying, “Why bother with this when there are so many other things to do?…
— CyberRobo (@CyberRobooo)
Around 9pm, the PSP received a report that a woman needed help in front of a building on Rua do Campo Sul.
“Police officers immediately attended the scene. It was found that the woman, while using her cell phone, was frightened when she realized that there was a robot behind her,” said the PSP.
To resident “did not have physical contact with the robot and was not injuredbut claimed feeling unwell and needed to be hospitalized. The woman was later discharged, without any further action being taken in relation to the incident,” the police added.
According to the PSP, the center employee who was operating the robot said he was carry out a test, with plans to use the humanoid in future commercial promotions.
Police requested that the man be “aware of his surroundings” in the future when operating robots, to avoid causing “danger or fright” to other people.
The robot was taken by police officers in a measure to prevent any future incident.
This is the first recorded incident between humans and a robot in the Chinese region.
In recent years, China has accelerated its leadership in the production of humanoid robots, with some used in security activities, logistical support, commercial activities and even entertainment.
Four emerging Chinese startups – Unitree Robotics, Galbot, Noetix and MagicLab – demonstrated the humanoid robots on February 16 at the Lunar New Year gala, China’s biggest televised event, performing various acrobatics and martial arts moves.
Analysts estimate that of the approximately 15,000 humanoid robot installations worldwide in 2025, more than 85% will occur in China, with just 13% in the United States.
