Unitree G1 humanoid robot startles elderly woman in Macau
A Unitree G1 humanoid robot startled a 70-year-old woman on a Macau street during a promotional activity in March 2026, causing her psychological distress and requiring hospital treatment. The robot was operating with autonomous movement and remote supervision when it approached the woman from behind on a narrow pavement.
What happened
A 70-year-old woman was startled by a Unitree G1 humanoid robot that approached her from behind on a narrow sidewalk near a residential complex in Macau on 12 March 2026. The woman had stopped on the pavement to use her phone when the robot, which was operated by a local education centre conducting promotional activities, approached her.
The woman reacted in alarm and verbally confronted the robot, saying 'You are making my heart accelerate! You have many things to do, so what is the point of staying here playing around? Are you crazy?'. Video of the encounter went viral on social media, with the subsequent police escort of the robot leading to comments online that the robot had been 'arrested'.
Reported impact
The elderly woman was taken to hospital following the incident. She had no injuries, received treatment, and was discharged the same day. She decided not to file a formal complaint.
Index analysis
The robot operated with programmed autonomous movement combined with remote supervision. According to the centre operator, the incident occurred because the woman stopped suddenly on the narrow pavement to use her phone, and when she turned abruptly, she was frightened by the robot's lights.
The Unitree G1 model is a bipedal humanoid robot with depth sensors, automatic obstacle avoidance capability, and movements with a greater range than human joints. The same robot had been used in similar promotional activities at Macau tourist sites over the previous six months.
Governance controls
Police escorted the robot away from the scene and returned it to the operator, a local resident aged about 50 years, issuing a warning that safety measures needed to be adopted.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.