- Robot Alantim was hit with a baseball bat by an unidentified driver in Moscow
- Alantim works as a robotics teacher at the Moscow Technological Institute
- The robot has studied the interaction between humans and robots since 2015
- The smart machine was badly damaged and is currently being repaired
Russia’s famous robot Alantim has been badly damaged after an aggressive driver attacked the smart machine on a street near the Moscow Technological Institute (MTI).
Video shows Alantim getting hit with a baseball bat by a thug, who eventually kicks the robot down to the ground.
Alantim, who works as a robotics teacher at MTI, is heard saying ‘Pomogite’, Russian for ‘Help me’.
MTI says they are unable to track down the male assailant due to lack of registration number on his vehicle.
Alantim has been studying the interaction between robots and humans since its start at MTI in February 2015.
Earlier this year, MailOnline reported that the robot would also be used to protect British fans from Russian hooligans at the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia.
But after this latest incident it’s not sure how much protecting Alantim can really do.
A statement released by MTI press officer Aleksandr Kovalenko said: ‘Now Alantim is already under repair. We hope that engineers of our institute will be able to reestablish all the working functions and the robot will be back to his duties.’
The unidentified driver prepares to swing a baseball bat at Alantim, pictured, a robot who works at the Moscow Technological Institute
Alantim is not programmed to be hostile towards humans and was pretty much defenseless to his assailant
Alantim is seen lying on the ground and was heard to be saying ‘Pomogite’, Russian for ‘Help me’
Alantim was driving the Moscow streets, investigating the potential impact of driverless cars, before the attack occurred.
It was collecting data on things such as quality of road surfaces, visibility of road signs and, somewhat ironically, the behaviour of drivers.
The robot is not programmed to act with hostility towards humans but can recognise human aggression and is said to use its reasoning in such situations. It is also able to call the police.