[SIXTHTONE] A robot went out of control at a technology fair in southern China’s Guangdong province Thursday, smashing a glass window and injuring a visitor.The aggressor was Fabo, an education and entertainment robot for children. A human error was responsible for the mishap: The person operating Fabo hit the "forward" button instead of "reverse," according to one of the fair’s organizers.
This command sent Fabo off in the direction of a neighboring exhibition booth that was made from glass. The robot rammed into the booth and shattered the glass, the splinters from which injured the ankles of a visitor to the exhibition.
Details about the injured visitor were not immediately available, but images circulating on the internet on Friday show what appears to be a middle-aged man lying on a stretcher. After receiving emergency care on-site, the patient was sent to the nearby Peking University Shenzhen Hospital by ambulance and was discharged after receiving stitches.
The incident took place at the China Hi-Tech Fair 2016 in Shenzhen, the boomtown that is now a major hub for tech startups. The fair, hosted by the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (SCEC) for six days through Nov. 21, has attracted more than 3,000 exhibitors and aims to showcase some of the world’s most advanced technologies.
SCEC told Sixth Tone that the accident took place on Thursday afternoon and was caused by the human error of a staffer from Shenzhen Spreadview Century Technologies Co., one of the fair’s exhibitors.
Shenzhen Spreadview Century produces mini projectors, which it supplies to Beijing Evolver Robotics Technology Co., Ltd., the manufacturer of Fabo. The robot comes in two models: One is designed to serve as an education or entertainment tool for children, while the other is used for commercial purposes such as advertising. The robot costs close to 13,000 yuan ($1,900), according to the company’s website.