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Russian State TV Shows Off 'Robot' That's Actually a Man In a Robot Suit (gizmodo.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the tom-foolery dept.

A "hi-tech robot" shown on Russian state television turns out to be a man in a suit. While airing footage of a technology forum aimed at kids, a Russian state TV reporter proclaimed that Boris the robot "has already learned to dance and he's not that bad." Gizmodo reports: This "robot" actually retails for 250,000 rubles (about $3,770), as first reported by the Guardian, and is made by a company called Show Robots. "Boris" features glowing eyes, and plastic parts -- and shockingly human-like movements. Probably because he needs a human inside to operate properly. This faux-robot (fauxbot?) mystery was actually first unraveled when some eagled-eyed Russian viewers on the internet noticed that a suspiciously human-like neck was showing in the video. The report notes that "there's no indication" that there was intent to deceive anyone. Instead, it "appears to be a case of a TV presenter getting confused with what he believed to be 'modern robots.'" You can watch the broadcast on Russia-24's YouTube channel.

66 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Thank you very much by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    We are now living in an Andy Kaufman sketch.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Thank you very much by ISnortFatCashews · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That is a pretty far fetched conspiracy theory, fella. It is even CRAZIER than this one...

      Stormtroopers didn't kill Luke's aunt and uncle

      Pretty iconic, right? Luke's lifelong home is destroyed, his aunt and uncle murdered. All he's left with is fuel for his rage against the Empire. But isn't it a little weird to think that Stormtroopers did this? I get that the Empire was looking for R2-D2 and C-3PO, and that they'd be more than willing to trash someone's home to get what they want. But what they did to Luke's guardians seems a tad dramatic.

      People in Star Wars get their arms chopped off, blown up in space and thrown into alien sand vaginas, but there's no one else in any of the movies who gets it worse than Owen and Beru Lars, including the asshole who gets his legs chopped off before getting his nubs dipped in piping hot magma. Seriously, a blaster couldn't do that -- their flesh is completely vaporized. I don't know anyone that ruthless. Do you?

      Oh, right. According to the scenes added in the Special Editions, this dude was on Tatooine at the time of the murders. Looking at the evidence, it's completely possible that Boba Fett killed Luke's aunt and uncle. For one, we're well aware that the Empire is willing to outsource their jobs to bounty hunters.

      In this classic scene, Vader is outlining the bounty stipulations for a handful of mercenaries, emphasizing the importance of capturing the heroes alive. Darth makes a point to turn and point at Boba Fett, talking down to him as though he was lecturing a toddler.

      You don't point at someone and say that unless they've been caught doing it before. Boba Fett has such a rep for disintegrations that word got all the way up to the #2 seat in the Empire. Dudes like Boba Fett are the reason there are signs at multi-level grocery stores that say "NO CARTS ON THE ESCALATORS" -- you know some dickbag spilled ten pounds of kale all over the machinery before Trader Joe's started putting those warnings up. It stands to reason that the guy known for disintegrations was responsible for the most prominent disintegrations in the original trilogy.

      But maybe Boba Fett wouldn't have been around to immolate Owen and Beru if Obi-Wan hadn't chosen the worst possible planet to hide Darth Vader's son. Then again, maybe it was the last place anyone would look...

    2. Re:Thank you very much by sittingnut · · Score: 1

      "The report notes that "there's no indication" that there was intent to deceive anyone. Instead, it "appears to be a case of a TV presenter getting confused with what he believed to be 'modern robots.'""

      let me get this straight, this story is nothing more than a tv presenter getting confused at a kids tech forum?

      why is it on slashdot? because the guardian got confused at 2nd hand, thinking it was an actual deception by those evil russian? the guardian do seem to be getting confused a lot about russians.

    3. Re:Thank you very much by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Funny

      I can't help but it feels more like the world is turning into a Monty Python skit, complete with Terry Gilliam's art. I'm honestly waiting for a large, naked foot to stomp me.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    4. Re:Thank you very much by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      I'm honestly waiting for a large, naked foot to stomp me.

      This isn't a deviant porn site.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    5. Re:Thank you very much by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      People always said Heartbeeps was the worst sci-fi movie ever. And while it is one of my favorite movies, I always agreed; it was one of the best Romantic Comedies ever, but it would really suck if viewed as sci-fi.

      I'm now coming to understand that it was really a documentary about the future. And the lesson is, if you want to find happiness in the future, plan to recycle it at the dump while hiding from the authoritays.

    6. Re:Thank you very much by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      Found the guy who didn't even know the goat stuff was deviant!

      Are those dried grits in your neckbeard???!

    7. Re:Thank you very much by Spankin'+Bandit · · Score: 1

      Or a Simpsons episode.

    8. Re:Thank you very much by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Don't kinkshame!

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. But by nospam007 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can he spread fake news, like a real Russian bot?

    1. Re:But by allcoolnameswheretak · · Score: 1

      In America, robot try to be human.
      In Soviet Russia, human try to be robot...

    2. Re:But by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      Can he spread fake news, like a real Russian bot?

      Yes and he has a built-in money laundering machine.

  3. Shocking! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Wow, next you'll tell me that yellow bird from Sesame street is not actually a bird but a man in costume?
    How is this news?

    1. Re:Shocking! by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      If all the major news outlets had run stories about "big yellow talking bird discovered", it would be news that it was just a guy in a costume. Russian Government TV claimed it was a robot filmed at some big robot showcase.

      For what it's worth, the robot showcase was real.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  4. job opportunity by sheramil · · Score: 3, Funny

    This "robot" actually retails for 250,000 rubles (about $3,770), as first reported by the Guardian, and is made by a company called Show Robots.

    Does it come with a human inside? This might be the only employment open to anyone in the future.

    1. Re:job opportunity by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      This "robot" actually retails for 250,000 rubles (about $3,770), as first reported by the Guardian, and is made by a company called Show Robots.

      Does it come with a human inside? This might be the only employment open to anyone in the future.

      Funny. That was my first thought too. $3,770 for my own personal Russian slave sounds pretty cheap.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    2. Re:job opportunity by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Heh came to say the same thing. Make a "service dock" that the robot needs to be in for 8 hours a night (for sleeping and dumping human waste), and request to be paid in lithium batteries (which you resell for a wage).

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    3. Re: job opportunity by Type44Q · · Score: 3, Funny

      $3,770 for my own personal Russian slave sounds pretty cheap.

      Until you open it up for service and discover an angry, thick-ankled babushka with a vodka habit...

    4. Re: job opportunity by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2

      $3,770 for my own personal Russian slave sounds pretty cheap.

      Until you open it up for service and discover an angry, thick-ankled babushka with a vodka habit...

      Who says that wasn't what I was hoping for?

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    5. Re:job opportunity by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      This is Russian robot. Power supply is ethanol fuel cell, runs on Vodka.

    6. Re:job opportunity by cstacy · · Score: 1

      Heh came to say the same thing. Make a "service dock" that the robot needs to be in for 8 hours a night (for sleeping and dumping human waste), and request to be paid in lithium batteries (which you resell for a wage).

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    7. Re:job opportunity by q4Fry · · Score: 1

      Funny. That was my first thought too. $3,770 for my own personal Russian slave sounds pretty cheap.

      Would you say that it's the droid you were looking for?

  5. Somewhere Victor Pelevin Chuckles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Pelevin did it.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omon_Ra

  6. The Turk by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 2

    Link

    Been there, done that. (Well, read about it anyway.)

    "The Turk, also known as the Mechanical Turk or Automaton Chess Player was a fake chess-playing machine constructed in the late 18th century. From 1770 until its destruction by fire in 1854 ... the mechanism appeared to be able to play a strong game of chess against a human opponent

    The Turk was in fact a mechanical illusion that allowed a human chess master hiding inside to operate the machine."

    But I bet he couldn't dance worth a Pawn.

    --
    If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
  7. It's like an old joke coming to life by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Funny

    Where the Soviets showcase the glorious developments of Russian ingenuity in an international display of new appliances, where they demo a potato peeling machine. Demonstrating it to the politburo, the inventor picks up a potato from a bucket, throws it into the machine and a few seconds of working very quietly later, a peeled potato is thrown out of the machine. An apparatchik is overwhelmed with joy, takes the bucket and dumps it into the machine, which prompts a rustling and a small door opens where an old babushka looks out and cries "Please, not so many, I'm alone this week".

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Well, technically, the Soviet "Human first" doesn't count either because he didn't land together with his capsule, which was required for the "first" to count. So yes, that's cheated, too.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      Where the Soviets showcase the glorious developments of Russian ingenuity in an international display of new appliances, where they demo a potato peeling machine. Demonstrating it to the politburo, the inventor picks up a potato from a bucket, throws it into the machine and a few seconds of working very quietly later, a peeled potato is thrown out of the machine. An apparatchik is overwhelmed with joy, takes the bucket and dumps it into the machine, which prompts a rustling and a small door opens where an old babushka looks out and cries "Please, not so many, I'm alone this week".

      There's lots of jokes like that: A Russian goes to a watchmaker and hands him a broken pocket watch. The watchmaker opens it up, peers into the watch with a magnifier and then pulls a dead flea out of the mechanism. The Russian lights up and says: "Ah! I understand, the engineer is dead!"

    3. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      And the Soviets showcase the glorious first, satellite, animal, human in space and there is no fraud under capitalism.

      Go to a supermarket and look at the freezer with bottled water in it. Pay special attention to the imported brands. In most of the developed world tap water is of similar or better quality as bottled water, and yet people pay for imported bottled water. The only difference is that the Capitalists were usually better at swindling you that the Soviets.

    4. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Given your name I assume that you're from Germany? Do your fellow Germans buy that much imported bottled water?

      As far as I know there's a lot of mineral springs in Germany, especially when I visited the South West these appeared to be all over the place. Of course people utilized these natural resources and made huge industries from them. There should be no real need to buy imported water unless they're some kind of hipster.

      Over the time I suppose the population got accustomed to carbonated and bottled water. And they keep paying for it.

      Now you may argue that this is a moral thing to sell bottled water. After all there's not a lot of labour that goes into it. The entire process also can be mostly automated, which means that trickle down economy does not work here.

      But are people being lied to? According to the friends I have there the media frequently covers that tap water is usually better controlled and therefore of higher quality than bottled water. At least from my perspective people seem to know about this, but still choose, buy bottled water, carrying crates through their house and so forth.

      It's mostly vanity if you ask me. And there's plenty of vanity in capitalism without being deceived.

    5. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Soviet Russia created a lot of great jokes. Like the one about the Samovar.

      (should be read with original heavy Russian accent)
      Babushka working long time already in glorious Soviet factory producing samovar, working hard on conveyor putting together piece and piece of samovar. But alas, never had earned enough money for buying samovar. So went to leader from combine and pleaded case. Said "Dear comrade combine leader, I work many years already in glorious Soviet factory for samovar, but never have money for samovar. Could maybe please have money for buying samovar?" Said dear comrade combine leader "But babushka, cannot do that, everyone same people and everyone get same, so cannot give you more money than fellow comrade worker. But babushka, do what everyone does, every day, when going home, you take tiny little piece of samovar with you, and you put together when home, you have samovar too." Said babushka "But dear comrade combine leader, I tried. I really did. I take home little bit of samovar every day, But something I must do wrong. Every time I done putting together, I have not samovar, I have Automat Kalashnikov."

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by webinstinct · · Score: 1

      So the Americans decide they need to steal the blueprints of the new advanced fighter jet from the Russians, build it, and learn all its secrets. They send their best spies and they manage to steal a set of blueprints. The best minds get to work, study the blueprints, manufacture all the parts, and assemble them, producing a bulldozer. They scratch their heads, disassemble the thing, check all the parts, measurements and instructions. They reassemble everything again and get a bulldozer. So they figure they are missing some crucial information that's not in the blueprints and decide they need to kidnap a Russian engineer who was part of the program and make him work on it. Again, the best spies get to work and manage to kidnap a Russian engineer. They pay him a lot of money and he gets to work. He checks all the blueprints and measurements, directs the assembly, and produces a bulldozer. Then he looks at the blueprints and points to some tiny print at the bottom of the last sheet that says "use a file to finish the project." ( ) (use a file to remove imperfections?)

    7. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Who made that rule?

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    8. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      In Germany? 'Water' defaults to carbonated mineral water. Ask for a water at most restaurants and they bring you mineral water.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    9. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by GoTeam · · Score: 1

      So when you ask for tap water, do they ask in return "you mean like, from the toilet?"

    10. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by fazig · · Score: 1

      Most German restaurants won't like it if you order tap water.
      They'd be willing to serve you some "Tafelwasser" which is essentially bottled tap with additions (may be carbonated or not). It's distinct from mineral water, which is the most frequently consumed form of bottled water. And of course they expect you to pay for it.


      And yeah, most soft drinks in Germany are also carbonated. Except for 100% fruit juices and milk based products.
      When they introduced deposit costs for carbonated drinks in cans, PET, and glass bottles some manufacturers tried to circumvent these costs by not making their drinks carbonated. If I remember correctly they tried to compensate for the slightly acidic taste of beverages we've gotten used to with other additives. But judging from what I can find today in our regular super market chains, where virtually none of these beverages are still in existence, this approach must have failed. People rather pay the additional 0.25€ deposit for a 250ml can of Redbull knock-off that otherwise would only cost something like 0.2€.

    11. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Glorious Soviet chemical engineering development plant made great plan to produce butter out of shit to once and for all eliminate world hunger, proving superiority of Soviet system for all humankind. Success rate so far is 50%. Spreads well already, taste still slightly off.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    12. Re:It's like an old joke coming to life by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      The FAI.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  8. Seriously by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's a kids show. Here's a spoiler for you - the big purple dinosaur called Barney is also (gasp!) a dude in a suit.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Seriously by aquabat · · Score: 1

      the big purple dinosaur called Barney is also (gasp!) a dude in a suit.

      Wait, what? Barney isn't a six foot penis? How can a dinosaur be purple or your best friend? That makes absolutely no sense.

      --
      A republic cannot succeed till it contains a certain body of men imbued with the principles of justice and honour.
    2. Re:Seriously by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Oh. Really?

      Umm.. you think I could get away claiming I didn't know? *hides gun behind back*

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re:Seriously by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      And ... him being a six foot penis makes sense?

      Damn furries.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    4. Re:Seriously by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      My friend was Barney at the carnival for 3 years.

      She wasn't a dude, she was an employee. But she did enjoy rounding up teenagers to visit the BB-gun booth, and gave them all Barney pictures to shoot up, and then autographed them.

  9. I for one will bow down to our robot overlord by cjeze · · Score: 1

    Interesting, if anyone was fooled by that they kind of deserves it. Like reading an Onion news article and falling for it, you ought to know better.

    1. Re:I for one will bow down to our robot overlord by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      Interesting, if anyone was fooled by that they kind of deserves it. Like reading an Onion news article and falling for it, you ought to know better.

      What about someone who may have signed up for dancing lessons from the robot?

      Asking for a friend.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re:I for one will bow down to our robot overlord by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      Yeah, who would ever believe in razors with 5 or 6 blades! Obviously Onion. Also, Orange Man Bad; obviously Onion. Wake me up when the lizard people are on TV invading Earth.

  10. Intergalactic Planetary! by thesjaakspoiler · · Score: 1

    Bet them Russian spies worked on that idea for 20 years when they stole that idea from the Beastie Boys : https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  11. Translated for Fox/CNN by monkeyxpress · · Score: 3, Funny

    How is this a news story? It needs to be put through the hype distortion machine first:

    In breaking news, the Russians have HACKED a robotics conference to plant FAKE robots. At a time when western nations faces the grave threat of EXTINCTION by the rise of machines, this sort of DECEPTION could only mean we have entered a dangerous new period of RUSSIAN artificial INTELLIGENCE operations.

    There, fixed.

  12. What's next? by Plus1Entropy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Humans pretending to be Russian robots?

    What's next, Russian bots pretending to be human?

    --
    Only crack the nuts that crack. You don't put the ones that don't crack in the sack.
    1. Re:What's next? by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Russia has given us robots pretending to be humans, humans pretending to be robots, spies pretending to be diplomats, assassins pretending to be tourists, and a US president pretending to act in America's best interests. None are convincing.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    2. Re:What's next? by bluegutang · · Score: 1

      In Soviet Russia...

    3. Re:What's next? by gtall · · Score: 1

      Nah, Putin pretending to be human.

    4. Re:What's next? by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Why are you bringing up FDR?

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  13. FTFA by Tsolias · · Score: 1

    the company never claimed that they are going to demonstrate a robot, the TV journalist claimed it.
    This is not a case of a corporate scum, but a stupid journalist.

  14. Amon Ra by lucasnate1 · · Score: 1

    Reminds of the book Amon Ra, where (spoiler below)
    .
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    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
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    .
    the twist is that russians are dressing humans as robots to hide the fact that they are using them in suicide missions.

    --
    Avantgarde Hebrew science fiction
  15. I don't believe it. by aquabat · · Score: 1

    Yeah right. Next they'll be trying to get you to believe that Daft Punk are just two dudes in motorcycle helmets.

    --
    A republic cannot succeed till it contains a certain body of men imbued with the principles of justice and honour.
    1. Re:I don't believe it. by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      It turns out that they were HUMAN AFTER ALL!

  16. Futurama by Dan+East · · Score: 1

    Maybe the guy just came back from planet Chapek 9.
    https://comedycentral.mtvnimag...

    --
    Better known as 318230.
  17. The A.W.E.S.O.M.-O 4000 by wafflemonger · · Score: 1

    Does it suggest ideas for movies staring Adam Sandler?

  18. Danger Will Robinson! by gazelam · · Score: 1

    That robot was another in along line of men in robot suits.

  19. In Soviet Russia: by Minupla · · Score: 1

    In Soviet Russia:

    Tech journalists do as little research as they do anywhere else before writing an article!

    Min

    --
    On the whole, I find that I prefer Slashdot posts to twitter ones because I don't get limited to 140 chars before
  20. egads! by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

    Next you'll be telling me that The Sniffer isn't real either :(

  21. In Russia, robot automates you! by Trip6 · · Score: 1

    All will soon be required to wear this suit and be directed by the government.

    --
    I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
  22. Presume guilt by mi · · Score: 2

    let me get this straight, this story is nothing more than a tv presenter getting confused at a kids tech forum?
    why is it on slashdot?

    Because the denials of the intent to deceive are just as ridiculously fake as most of the rest of what's on Russia's state-owned TV.

    If it comes from a Russian — especially, a government-connected Russian — it is more likely to be false than true and any presumptions and doubt ought to be in that direction.

    --
    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
  23. Translated for Fox by neo-mkrey · · Score: 1

    Fixed the subject for you.

  24. Russian satirical magazine, the year of 1974 by htz · · Score: 1

    https://mtdata.ru/u4/photo3F44...

  25. Already done in Italy by a guy from Indianapolis by havana9 · · Score: 1

    ZED was a "robot" that made stand-up comey and singed italo disco song in the Italian thelevision during the '80s. Mr.ZED is still making stand-up comedy, in USA and Europe by the way. If you want to see a show with real robots... COMRESSORHEAD ROCKS