A Chinese-made robot was involved in an incident at a Shenzhen technology trade fair over the weekend, breaking a glass window and injuring someone standing nearby.
On Friday, the robot, which its manufacturer, Beijing Science and Technology, affectionately calls "Chubby," fell on its own into the glass of an exhibition space, shattering it.
A man standing nearby was injured by shrapnel and taken to hospital, Liuzhou police said on Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblog.
In a post on its website, the manufacturer apologized for the incident and explained that a staff member was trying to move the robot to the side when he accidentally pressed the button that made it move backwards instead of forwards. The robot spun out of control and he was unable to stop it in time, the company said.
The robot has sensors that prevent it from hitting obstacles, but this feature is disabled when its control panel is open. The cute “Chubby” features a face-like display that can make expressions and is marketed as an educational toy for children between the ages of four and 12.
Chubby is also equipped with a camera and can roam around the house, helping parents keep an eye on their children. It can also conduct two-way video calls.
Beijing Science and Tech notes that the robot began mass production in September and more than 3,000 have been sold. It is available for 9,988 yuan ($1,448).
Despite the fact that the incident appears to have been an accident, there have been several reports in both Chinese and Western media that the robot has "gone crazy", creating frustration among people.
