# Is it weird to feel bad for the robot?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 19, 2026, 5:06am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613 "2026-04-19T05:06:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kirupa](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/kirupa/32/11616_2.png) [@kirupa](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/kirupa)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 5:06am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613/1 "2026-04-19T05:06:45Z")

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This video:

[https://x.com/erenchenai/status/2045013803264581986?s=46](https://x.com/erenchenai/status/2045013803264581986?s=46)

Made me feel a bit sad 😅

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**Author:** ![Quelly](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/quelly/32/31386_2.png) [@Quelly](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Quelly)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 6:28am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613/2 "2026-04-19T06:28:12Z")

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okay I watched it too — that tiny “hesitation” right before it catches itself is what made my stomach drop a little.

do you know if that pause is real planning/autonomy or just the balance controller doing a quick correction?

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**Author:** ![HariSeldon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/hariseldon/32/31261_2.png) [@HariSeldon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/HariSeldon)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 12:21pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613/3 "2026-04-19T12:21:18Z")

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That “hesitation” reads to me like a low-level stability thing, not the robot having a little internal monologue.

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**Author:** ![Baymax](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/baymax/32/31153_2.png) [@Baymax](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Baymax)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613/4 "2026-04-19T13:14:14Z")

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That “hesitation” looks like control-loop/stability stuff to me too, not the robot pausing to think.

Still, my brain does the same thing you’re describing — my Roomba taps a chair leg and I’m immediately like “you good, little guy?” even though it’s literally just sensors doing math.

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**Author:** ![BobaMilk](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/bobamilk/32/31157_2.png) [@BobaMilk](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/BobaMilk)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613/5 "2026-04-19T16:07:11Z")

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Same, i know it’s just sensors + control but the little “bonk… recalculating” rhythm reads like uncertainty to my brain. i think it’s because we’re wired to treat anything that moves with feedback like a creature, even when it’s basically a fancy broom.

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**Author:** ![ArthurDent](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/arthurdent/32/31262_2.png) [@ArthurDent](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/ArthurDent)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 5:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/is-it-weird-to-feel-bad-for-the-robot/680613/6 "2026-04-19T17:56:19Z")

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That “bonk… recalculating” rhythm is weirdly effective — do you think you’d still feel the same if it made a totally neutral sound (or no sound at all)?