--- title: "Chinese Humanoid Robot Does a Demon Twist and Faceplants With a Thud During Demonstration" description: "Chinese automotive company XPeng made a big splash last year with its [Terminator-like humanoid robot](), dubbed Iron. The bipedal robot — which features certain [eyebrow-raising design choices]() — was seen sauntering across the stage with an impressively lifelike \"[catwalk]()\" gait." date: "2026-02-08" modified: "2026-02-08" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/xpeng-iron-robot-falls" categories: - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" --- # Chinese Humanoid Robot Does a Demon Twist and Faceplants With a Thud During Demonstration ![During a tech demo at a mall in Shenzhen, China, over the weekend, Xpeng's Iron humanoid robot took a tumble for all to see.]() *HumanoidHub via X* Chinese automotive company XPeng made a big splash last year with its [Terminator-like humanoid robot](), dubbed Iron. The bipedal robot — which features certain [eyebrow-raising design choices]() — was seen sauntering across the stage with an impressively lifelike "[catwalk]()" gait. But the company may have flown a little too close to the Sun. During a similar tech demo at a mall in Shenzhen, China, over the weekend, the robot once again ambled across a marbled floor in front of an eager crowd — only to suddenly start twisting its back in an unnatural way before falling over and faceplanting with an audible thud. Footage [circulating online]() shows someone break Iron's fall. It eventually took three individuals to drag the 154-pound, five-foot-eight humanoid robot away from the prying eyes of the curious crowd. Some audience members can be heard chuckling to themselves as the robot is carried away. Many netizens [joked]() that it was the ultimate proof that Xpeng's robot is not, in fact, a human in a costume, as some [suspected]() when its human-like gait was first revealed. https://twitter.com/Byron\_Wan/status/2017607722326544678 The damage appears to have been done. As the [*South China Morning Post* reports](), footage of Xpeng's fumble circulated widely on Chinese social media networks, eventually forcing cofounder and CEO He Xiaopeng to address the situation on Weibo. "It reminds me of how all toddlers learn to walk," he wrote in the post, as quoted by the *SCMP*. "After a fall, they will stand firm; the next step is to begin running, and to keep running." The company was clearly rattled by all of the negative press coverage. During the next day of Xpeng's marketing campaign, the robot was strapped to a frame, per the newspaper. Xpeng is far from alone in struggling to keep its bipedal robots on two feet. We've seen plenty of other humanoid robots by manufacturers stumble as well. Case in point, one [recent viral video appears to show]() a human teleoperator taking off their headset, causing the Tesla Optimus robot they were controlling to reel back and collapse. In November, a video circulating online showed a Russian humanoid robot, dubbed AIdol, [fall while trying to walk across a stage](). Other companies have made major strides in keeping their robots upright. Researchers have managed to teach Chinese manufacturer Unitree's popular G1 robot to be extremely resilient, allowing it to survive a lot of abuse, from a [direct dropkick]() to being [jerked around by a chain]() around its neck. Most recently, Unitree had one of its G1 robots [map out the Winter Olympics logo]() by trekking 130,000 steps across a snowy, frozen landscape in Altay prefecture in northern China, as temperatures sank to -52 degrees Fahrenheit. Xpeng is hoping to kick off "[large-scale mass production]()" of its Iron robot before the end of the year — stability be damned, apparently. **More on Xpeng:** [*Robotics Company Explains Why Its Terminator-Style Robot Features Prominent Bazongas*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()