Rogue Robots: 35+ Times Robots Lost Their Rhythm

In a world where robots have become our reliable companions, revolutionizing how we live and work, it’s easy to overlook their ingenuity and unwavering assistance. These mechanical marvels tirelessly handle tasks, making our lives exponentially easier, whether it’s brewing the perfect cup of coffee or efficiently vacuuming the floors. However, it’s crucial to remember that even the most advanced robots are not infallible.

In their pursuit of perfection, they occasionally veer into the realm of comedy, committing errors that leave us in stitches. This article delves into the humorous side of our robotic helpers, exploring the unexpected blunders and missteps they encounter on their quest for precision. From quirky misunderstandings to unintentional pratfalls, these robot mishaps serve as a lighthearted reminder that, amidst their indispensable roles, even machines can have a sense of humor.

Butterfinger Bot

Humans have a long history of creating machines to simplify tasks. In ancient Greece, around 100 BC, they made one of the earliest analog computers in Antikythera to assist with astronomical calculations. Fast forward to today’s digital era, and we’re surrounded by advanced robots, including ones that aid surgeons.

Notably, not all robots hit the ground running. Take our friend, Butterfingers, for instance. It appears that he is in dire need of some fine-tuning, especially when it comes to handling boxes. Let’s hope that wasn’t a heavy one he just dropped!

Canine Conquistador

If you are a fan of amusing animal videos, you have likely encountered those featuring pets’ comical interactions with household machines and robots. Cats and tiny dogs perched on Roombas, kitties staring down CCTV cameras — the laughter never ends!

In this instance, a miniature robot was seemingly designed to pester our canine pals. Unfortunately, it met its match as the bemused dog swiftly decapitated the bot with a single swipe! It appears the developers skipped the test phase before releasing it. Time for them to head back to the drawing board!

Bionic Blunder

Modern technology has revolutionized various sectors, with one of the most profound transformations occurring in health and medicine. Advancements have eradicated diseases that once plagued humanity, while robotics have enabled remarkable feats like complex surgical procedures and various endoscopic examinations.

Limb replacement is another remarkable advancement. People can now opt for bionic arms if they’ve lost limbs. However, as this lady humorously demonstrates, her prosthetic device isn’t always as precise as she’d prefer. Her smile quickly turns into surprise as the bottle she picked up slips through her fingers.

Give Me A Hand

Robots have astonishing skills that span from autonomous vehicles to industrial automation, and they’re now venturing into a novel territory—composing their own code. In this pioneering venture, an engineer designed a miniature robotic hand that offers invaluable assistance in this endeavor.

This is not just assistance; it’s a whole new level. What kind of code is it churning out? Could it possibly compose instructions for itself, paving the way for autonomy? This intriguing coding twist is definitely worth pondering and exploring further!

Find Someone Else!

Robots are usually created to assist with tasks humans need to carry out. As such, you can find use for robots in quite a number of different fields. But it turns out not all robots are equipped for the tasks.

While some have bugs, others are just not in the mood to do any sort of work. They just want some peace, and hard labor is simply not that. This particular robot even wanted to cut the line that was supplying current to run it!

Multitasking At Its Best

Ever heard the pop psychology buzz about women being multitasking champions? Well, it seems they’ve got a point. Women often shine in juggling multiple tasks, while men get labeled one-track minds. But here’s a twist – this robot is tailored for multitasking efficiency for everyone!

Imagine this: you’re brushing your teeth while a robotic arm efficiently shampoos your hair. It’s the ultimate time-saver, perfect for those chaotic mornings when you’re running late. Now, the real question is, can it also whip up a cup of coffee on your way out the door?

Such a Bomb ToothBrush!

The dental world is no stranger to technological advancements. Dentists have been using robotic assistance in orthodontics and other surgical procedures like root canals and more for a while. Now, it seems that robotics have found a new niche in the world of dentistry, and it’s all about toothbrushes!

Picture a double toothbrush that takes care of your upper and lower jaws at the same time. It even comes with a timer that resembles a ticking time bomb! Don’t worry; it doesn’t explode in anyone’s face. Perhaps more visually friendly designs will be released in the near future.

One-handed Scissors, Eh?

This gentleman claims to have invented one-handed scissors. How thoughtful and helpful! After all, using scissors was a tiring experience that involved both hands. But this new gizmo eliminates the need for two hands, allowing less effort and more ease!

Sarcasm aside, perhaps he meant to say that it eliminates the need for two fingers. It’s attached to something that looks like it moves the scissors on its own, which is still ingenious. However, it does look quite cumbersome, and we’d be lying if we said we’d ever allow that anywhere near our heads!

Wienerbot!

You’ve probably heard of digital bots – software that is designed to perform a specific function. There are bots that are good, for example, those that could increase likes on a particular post. Apparently, someone wanted to revolutionize the like-bot industry.

They built a literal bot that could like and dislike bots, and given that screens respond to current found in the human body, it used a weiner as a finger! What a delicious idea. Some engineer out there is probably missing a snack or breakfast, but it’s all good.

Not So Private Dancer

For those who fear that robots will eventually end up replacing many human jobs, you might be right to be concerned as they have replaced them in many industrial jobs. But it seems that that is not the only sector they are good at.

‘Exotic dancing’ is also not safe! Someone put a robot in heels and propped her against a pole, and guess what she has for a head? A CCTV camera! Not sure how many people would appreciate the experience of having their faces taped by a security camera when they came for a lap dance.

Claw Machine?

Have you ever played “Claw Machine” or “Claw Crane”? This is an arcade game where players use a joystick to direct a claw in a box filled with stuffed animals and other prizes. The goal is to pick a prize and lift it out of the box.

Well, this particular claw is a little too efficient at picking things up. It decapitated a whole doll! This one might be a good fit if it’s Halloween season, but it might not work too well the rest of the year unless perhaps the aim is to scare children.

Helping Bot

Have you ever had one of those days where you are too tired for anything? You don’t even have the energy to change your clothes into pajamas. Perhaps not even the energy to cover yourself. All you can do is plop on the bed and fall fast asleep.

Well, fear not. There is now a bot that is designed to make sure you have a warm night’s sleep on such nights. It will spread your blanket or duvet over you. How ingenious, especially for those nights you’ve gone out and come home so late and too out of it to do much else.

Royal Treatment

Portrayals of ancient royalty often feature a legion of servants tending to every need, from meal preparation to actual feeding. It’s a taste of the high life, and now, thanks to robots, we can all indulge! Robot innovation has elevated our comfort levels, even sparing us the effort of raising a hand to feed ourselves.

The only hitch is that it seems a tad cumbersome, hanging around your neck like an oversized scarf. We can only hope the movies and popcorn are worth it, though it might make cuddling a bit awkward with your special someone!

Bad Aim

This robot has one job – deliver smiles in the form of breakfast to the people who come to this dinner. Sounds easy enough. After all, what could make you smile more than pancakes, especially if you are a breakfast person? But someone needs to work out the kinks in this particular prototype!

It just can’t seem to aim correctly at the plates. We can only hope that it does not miss all the pancakes, just the occasional one. Otherwise, it would cost this diner a lot of customers who went there expecting breakfast.

Spooky Clone

The inspiration for robots comes in many forms. Some are androids and mimic the human form or parts of the human form like arms or legs, while others mimic animals. This particular one is meant to mimic man’s best friend – canines!

But this terrier is not all that amused by what is going on. It is probably wondering why this particular bot does not play the same way that regular dogs do. “This dude just needs to take a chill pill,” he thinks to himself.

Feed Me

Picture this: you’ve had a long day. You come home, kick your shoes off, and since you’re hungry, you press a remote, and a robot appears with your favorite food. You just sit back with a remote in another hand, selecting what you want to watch as the robot serves you and spoon-feeds you!

Wouldn’t that have been such a beautiful dream come true? However, this particular robot does not have very good coordination. It keeps missing, and unfortunately, it makes a mess all over the floor and, sadly, all over your t-shirt. This was the scenario for this unfortunate lady!

Bot Wars

Humans have enjoyed fighting sports for a number of years. You have heard of cockfights, bullfights, and even different kinds of human cage fights such as boxing, wrestling, and more. Humans generally enjoy contests between each other or their favorite fighters.

It seems there is one new genre to add to the world of fighting sports. Robots! These are arguably less painful to watch as there is no blood. And no living creatures get hurt. They’re potentially more entertaining, too, as rules and creativity of design as well as fighting techniques, matter.

Pringle Bringer

One area where we are increasingly seeing people apply robotics is food. It’s been interesting and amusing to see how inventive people are and the way they apply engineering in the area. This designer wanted to fit robotics into the snack niche.

Ever been too tired to put your hand in a pringle jar or felt yourself struggle to fit your hand deeper down the can and successfully bring out the pringles still whole? Fear not, behold – the Pringle Bringer! It brings each pringle straight to your face, with its vacuum system eliminating any effort needed.

Retiring Security Bot

If you are no stranger to employment, then you’ve most likely experienced doing a job that you don’t exactly enjoy. There are a plethora of reasons why people tend not to dislike their jobs. Perhaps the working environment is hostile, or the boss isn’t the most friendly, and other such reasons.

It seems hating employment is not something exclusive to humans alone. Robots, too, can be bummed about their jobs. This one was so fed up with its job that it decided to take a dip in the fountain at the mall. We hope he was waterproof. Otherwise, that might’ve been his last day at work!

Boss Baby!

Have you ever played those conquest video games whose levels end with you having to fight the boss, who is usually the biggest and most formidable monster in the video game, before moving on to the next level? You probably have.

Alexa might have thought that her owner’s newborn might have been one of those bosses! So she set the reminder as “defeat the baby” and not to “feed the baby.” We hope it provided comic relief to the full-time responsibility of taking care of a little one.

Italian Robot

Italians have contributed to the culinary experience of billions of people around the world. Whether it’s spaghetti and all the versions of pasta or everyone’s movie night’s favorite food – pizza, these guys have brought us so many options when it comes to food.

Now it seems Italians have extended their influence to the world of engineering too, and no, we’re not talking about Italian supercar brands! Someone made a machine whose sole purpose is to fork pasta. However, we think this particular brand needs to work out the bugs and kinks out of this prototype.

Look Me In My Eyes!

Automobiles are yet another industry that the world of robots, and AI has brought numerous changes. We have seen the invention of self-driving cars, and electric cars, amongst many other new advancements. However, this particular innovation is anthropomorphic in nature.

Anthropomorphic designs give inanimate objects a more human appearance. They are often subtle in design, but this vehicle was given a pair of eyes that work. A car that can look directly into your eyes and possibly even roll its eyes at you!

Not-So-Great MUA

It seems robotics has also made it into the beauty industry! If you’re into makeup, then you understand all that goes into it and how layered a process it is. So whenever you can get a helping hand, you always take it!

Someone created an arm to help with the application of makeup, specifically lipstick. But perhaps this robot needs a little bit more practice and a few lessons at beauty school. Also, a pair of eyes to help it see what it’s doing would come in handy to get a more accurate application.

Pet-Sitters

Have you ever been traveling away from home for a few days but you didn’t have neighbors who could look after your little critter friends, so you needed a way to keep them busy? Well, it seems that engineering has a solution.

Robots come to the rescue, keeping your pets engaged. Utilize the “carrot” method, suspending it above your turtle to ensure feeding and exercise. What a helpful robot! With this, your pets will be well-fed and active during your brief absence.

Proud Family!

If you have experience with children, then you probably understand the feeling of pride that comes with the experience of raising them. Seeing them grow and learn and achieve milestones like birthdays and graduations is an experience parents wouldn’t miss for the world.

Well, it seems this engineer wanted to mechanically express their pride to their son by building him a robot that pats him on the shoulder to remind them that they are proud of him. In an odd test, the robot extends the gesture to the parents themselves. At least now they know it works.

Little Mechanical Assistance

If you have ever run a business and hired a personal assistant, then you understand how hopeful they can be. They help organize calendars, run errands, and book appointments, allowing you to remain in a creative space or focused workflow without being distracted by trivial activities.

This little mechanical helper is capable of doing tasks even as simple as helping you put on glasses while you are reading! How helpful – except for the fact that they were sunglasses. Well, at least you end up looking very cool.

Fan-bearing Bot

Have you ever seen fan-bearers? Before the age of air-conditioning, royalty often needed help with remaining cool during hot days. That’s where fan-bearers came in, diligently and tirelessly standing beside the royal throne, fanning and gently keeping the air cool.

Now that we are in the age of bots, we have created bots to do similar tasks. This bot doesn’t hold up a fan specifically, but it does help you stay cool by tracking the direction of the sun and changing the direction of your shade cap accordingly!

Trap The Robot

Robots’ movement mechanism is often fitted with sensors to sense obstacles on the way and either move around them or retreat accordingly. But if the obstacle is too large or unfamiliar to the protocol it has been codded with, the robot will sometimes be stumped on what to do.

Apparently, a couple of store-goers thought it would be funny to get the robot stuck, so they surrounded it with ice cream cone boxes on all its sides. True to their expectations, the robot couldn’t continue on its designated tour in the aisles of the store.

Traffic Robocop

You’ve probably heard of “Robocop,” the crime-fighting cyborg—a blend of machine and man. Inspired by this concept, someone thought of creating a robot to assist with traffic management, which makes sense. A big shout-out to our dedicated human traffic cops; their job isn’t a walk in the park.

Dealing with scorching tarmac in the blazing sun or slippery roads on cold, dark nights can be dangerous. Any opportunity to minimize risks and ensure safety is quite welcome, provided that the original cops are still in control of everything.

What a Tease

Have you ever really looked forward to something? A meal or an appointment with someone you haven’t seen in a while. You ignore the hunger or set dates with the time and location prehanded, only for plans to fall through at the last minute.

Well, for this poor little girl. She made the perfect ice cream using a newly installed technology at her favorite ice cream place. Unfortunately for her, the robot took it away just as soon as it was created. Poor baby!

Trap The Robot II

Have you ever seen or owned a Roomba? They are quite helpful, aren’t they? You don’t have to think about cleaning your house anymore. Just turn it on and allow it to do its rounds, and in a few minutes, your floors will be clean!

Sometimes they get stuck, though. Sadly, this owner who was expecting to come back to a clean house arrived to find his Roomba trapped by the legs of one of his chairs. Let’s hope he wasn’t expecting company that same evening! 

Robster!

Humans have been modeling robots after animals for nearly as long as robots have been around. The accuracy with which we are able to build these models has increased with advances in science and engineering and it’s really quite impressive.

Have you ever seen robots modeled after aquatic creatures? Well, this particular one is modeled after a lobster – a robot lobster – a robster! Let’s hope there are no fishermen in the area; they might just be tempted to dip him in garlic butter and eat him!

Android Debate Team

Some people enjoy debate for the intellectual challenge and opportunity to express their views persuasively, while others appreciate the chance to learn from and engage with differing perspectives. It can be a fun recreation and also a serious and insightful event.

This particular engineer might have loved debating so much that he decided to make an android with the sole purpose of helping him argue with people on the internet! The last person this robot engaged with must have been quite the character, as we see the poor droid banging his head in frustration.

Bomb Squad

One of the advantages of building efficient robots is that they can help humans, especially in perilous occupations such as mining. One other way that bots have certainly saved lives is in the area of disarming bombs, as they eliminate the need to risk human lives.

This particular bot needs some bugs worked out of him, though. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it back, and not from the bomb but from lack of balance! Talk about sleeping on the job! That said, we are still happy lives were saved from a dangerous situation.

Oops, Wrong Side, My Bad!

This particular glitch was less an error on the side of the robot and more on the designer’s side. The screen was supposed to show that the slot for inserting the card was underneath the screen but perhaps the design was changed before manufacturing.

But for anyone who might share similar conditions with our good friend Dory from Finding Nemo, this device would probably confuse people. How come the card exited from where it was not supposed to be? Let’s hope they fix the prompt screen.

Toilet Break for the Roomba?

This Roomba needed to take a bathroom break after spending all day cleaning the house. But it seems the toilet break didn’t go so smoothly after all, causing the Roomba to dash out of the bathroom and down the stairs with a roll of tissue still attached to it. 

Could something have scared it? Unfamiliar voices? The shadow of the cat walking by, perhaps? Either way, we hope the Roomba survived its tumble down the stairs. Maybe the owners were around to help the little janitor recover from its scare!

Salad Barbecue, Anyone?

We are back in the kitchen, and the robots have joined us again. They are looking to give us a hand while we prepare all the other dishes we’ll be serving at dinner tonight. We’ll give them something easy. How about just tossing the salad?

But alas, they decided to put their own culinary touch on our plain old salad and decided it could use some flambeing, and now it’s on fire! Not sure we’ve ever tried grilled salad before, but isn’t there a first for everything?

Drone Barber

On the long list of arenas that robotic technology has been tried, it seems barbery is one of them. Someone thought of attaching a hair clipper to a drone and attempting to give a poor unsuspecting mannequin a haircut. That was never going to need well.

While the advantage of that is hard to understand, it turns out that the risks are also just as much. The mannequin did not have a very pleasant experience. It was a smart decision not to make any attempts on human beings.

Bot Bidet?

It seems engineers are on a mission to try robotics in as many different areas as they can. This particular mad scientist decided to create a prototype model that consisted of a drill attached to a roll of tissue. That doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a pleasant, much less clean experience. 

Some things just don’t need improvement. Bidets and regular tissue paper do not involve all the risks that come with this particular attempt at innovating this experience. Sometimes, the tried and tested methods are the best way to go about things.

Optimus Pumpkin

It is Halloween season, and what spells out Halloween better than a Jack-o’-lantern decorating the front lawn? Of course, there is more to it. Some people do more like adding other dark and scary decor around their lawns and homes. 

Well, this particular engineer decided to do away with regular pumpkins and chose to make his pumpkin a robot with a face and legs that appear at the push of a button. Makes you wonder what other surprises he’s hidden in the features of that scary mechanical pumpkin.

Banana Slips

There are countless cartoons that have hilarious scenes of pranksters using banana peels to make others slip. Everything from Tom and Jerry all the way to live-action movies and series and skits has this gag. True enough, banana peels can give you quite the slip if you miss them.

It turns out it is not just human beings that are vulnerable to banana peel slips. Robots are too! This poor one wasn’t watching where he was walking, and well, let’s hope he will learn from that mistake. Or it might cost him a few bolts and nuts.