Robot falls down Fuzhou shopping mall escalator, knocks over shoppers

Occurred: December 2020

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A service robot in a shopping mall in Fuzhou, China, fell down an escalator and knowcked over two shoppers.

What happened

A robot designed to assist shoppers at the Fuzhou Zhongfang Marlboro Mall lost control, fell down an escalator and knocked over two individuals.

The incident was captured on video.

Why it happened

The exact cause of the robot's malfunction has not been made public, but it appears that it may have been operating autonomously when it approached the escalator.

What it means

The incident - and others like it - raise concerns about the reliability of robotic systems in public spaces, particularly regarding their navigation capabilities around obstacles like escalators.

Service robot

Service robots assist human beings, typically by performing a job that is dirty, dull, distant, dangerous or repetitive.

Source: Wikipedia ๐Ÿ”—

System ๐Ÿค–

Operator:
Developer: ย 
Country: China
Sector: Retail
Purpose: Support shoppers
Technology: Robotics
Issue: Robustness; Safetyย 

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