A series of viral videos showing humanoid robots behaving unpredictably near people, including one clip in which a performing robot appears to kick a child in the stomach, has reignited concerns over the safety of these machines as they move closer to everyday public use. The clips, which spread rapidly online, matter because humanoid robots can move with surprising speed and force, meaning that if a machine loses balance or executes a faulty motion routine, bystanders may have little time to react.

Among the footage circulating is a robot swinging its arms erratically inside an office, causing workers to scramble out of its path, and another appearing to surge towards a crowd at a festival. The incidents have prompted renewed questions about what safety standards and safeguards are needed before humanoid robots are deployed more widely in public and workplace settings.