A humanoid robot in Macau was escorted away by police after startling an elderly woman on the street, in an incident that quickly went viral online.
According to authorities, the woman was walking near the Lok Yeung Fa Yuen residential complex in the Patane area when she suddenly noticed the robot standing behind her. The unexpected encounter frightened her, and she later complained of feeling unwell.
Reports say the incident happened last Thursday evening while the woman was looking at her phone on a narrow pavement.
When she turned around, she found the humanoid robot right behind her. The sudden sight shocked her, and she began confronting the machine as people nearby watched.
Video shared online shows the woman angrily speaking to the robot while passersby gathered around. Shortly after, two police officers arrived at the scene.
The woman was taken to hospital as a precaution after saying the encounter made her feel unwell. Authorities confirmed she was not physically injured and was later discharged. She chose not to file a complaint.
Police Escort Robot Away
Footage from the scene shows officers placing a hand on the robot’s shoulder before escorting it away, which led many social media users to joke that the robot had been “arrested.”
Police later said the robot belonged to a local education centre and had been used for promotional activities in the area.
The machine was returned to its operator, a man in his 50s, who was reminded to be more careful when using the robot in public spaces.
The robot was reportedly a compact humanoid model made by Unitree Robotics, known for producing advanced bipedal robots with flexible movement, obstacle detection, and built-in cameras.
A representative from the education centre said the robot was being controlled through a mix of programming and remote supervision at the time.
He explained that the woman had stopped in the middle of the walkway to check her phone, and the robot simply waited behind her because it could not pass. When she suddenly turned around, the robot’s lights may have startled her.
The centre apologized for the incident, saying the robot had been used in similar promotional appearances at several tourist locations around Macau in recent months.
After the video spread online, many people joked about the strange situation, especially the moment when officers escorted the robot away like a suspect.
Others said the incident showed how unusual it can be when robots appear in everyday public spaces, especially when people are not expecting them.
