The DARPA Robotics Challenge is trying to build a better future for humanity by encouraging engineers to build the perfect emergency-response robot. The stakes are high, both for the roboticists, who compete for money and pride, and for the human race, which might some day depend on the strength, dexterity, and intelligence of one of their creations.
But every contest has its blooper reel, whether its contestants are humans or robots. And in some ways, robots’ epic fails are even funnier than our own.
If you’re worried about robots taking over the world, just remember that they have to get past the tendency to faceplant first.
Laugh at the robots while you can. Someday they might be able to hear you—and respond accordingly.
Screengrab via IEEE Spectrum/YouTube