{"id":1650280,"date":"2026-07-31T23:19:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T23:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kxfPR3a9pytzVx565DHrzF"},"modified":"2026-07-31T23:19:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T23:19:49","slug":"weve-seen-a-lot-of-malfunctioning-robots-this-year-but-this-is-my-favorite-fail-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/weve-seen-a-lot-of-malfunctioning-robots-this-year-but-this-is-my-favorite-fail-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"We’ve seen a lot of malfunctioning robots this year, but this is my favorite fail yet"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Clanker<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Future)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Robots are just PCs that can walk around, and these days they’re doing a lot more than just going for a stroll. Christopher Livingston doesn’t trust them, not one bit, and is reporting on their movements monthly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Here at Clanker Watch we’re keeping a close eye on the burgeoning age of robotics, staring wide-eyed with equal parts horror and amusement at the hijinks those state-of-the-art automatons are getting up to. <\/p>\n

July was a busy month, with robots doing everything from punching through walls (on purpose) and falling to pieces (accidentally), and one even trying to teach high school classes before getting expelled from school. Here’s the top five robot sightings of the month.<\/p>\n

5. The butler ate it<\/h2>\n

Robots abruptly shutting down is nothing new: we’ve recently seen one robot faceplant on the starting line of a race<\/a> and another moonwalk itself to death<\/a>, but this has to be my favorite yet. During a presentation at Computex, a 4NE1 robot designed by Neura Robotics walked on stage during a Qualcomm presentation, delivered an IQ10 processor on a tray, and turned to face the audience. Then, the magic happened.<\/p>\n

Make sure you have your volume up.<\/p>\n

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Quick thinking having a tablecloth handy. I didn\u2019t even notice the twitching from that dead robot.<\/p>\n

\u2014 @rvbdrm.com (@rvbdrm.com.bsky.social<\/a>) 2026-07-31T23:19:46.257Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Wow. That bot ate it like it was taken down by a sniper. And after the deafening clatter of its knees connecting with the service tray, it politely raises its hand to signal for help. Classy.<\/p>\n

Are robots really labor saving devices? Because it seems like for everyone one robot there’s gotta be three dudes standing nearby to immediately cover it with a death shroud when it inevitably collapses. Seems labor intensive to me.<\/p>\n

4. Over sea and air<\/h2>\n

In more terrifying robot news, engineers have solved a major problem: what if a human being is fleeing a flying drone and dives underwater? How can we invade their privacy or fire incapacitating darts into their necks if they’re swimming?<\/p>\n

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