In the clip, China's humanoid robot -- the Unitree H1 -- was being held upright with a crane as two technicians worked nearby. Moments later, something went terribly wrong.

The robot is believed to be a Unitree H1, a US$90,000 general-purpose humanoid that we've previously seen breaking out dance moves alongside humans, taking the stairs, and pulling off a backflip.

During tests in a Chinese factory, a humanoid robot suffered a malfunction and lashed out wildly, as a video shows. The test engineers switched off the robot in time before it could injure anyone.

A robot’s sudden violent outburst alarms experts and the public, highlighting risks of malfunctions in rapidly advancing automation technology. A humanoid robot's seemingly violent outburst at a ...

A humanoid robot is assisted by support technicians after collapsing at the start line of the Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon on April 19, 2025, in Beijing, China.

More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world’s first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human ...