Why iRobot’s founder won’t go within 10 feet of today’s walking robots (arstechnica.com)

Robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks—co‑founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics—warns in a recent essay that people should stay at least three meters from full‑size bipedal robots because current humanoids are fundamentally unsafe. He argues their two‑legged walking and balance systems store large amounts of kinetic energy; if a limb strikes someone or the robot falls, that energy can cause severe injury. Until machines are designed to be much safer to be near or in contact with people, Brooks says they won’t be certifiable for shared human environments and should not be treated as near‑term replacements for human workers. Brooks also challenges hype that modern AI—especially training by watching videos—will rapidly teach humanoids dexterous manipulation. He emphasizes that hardware and the physics of interaction are the hard limits: dexterity demands rich tactile sensing and closed‑loop sensorimotor control, not just visual imitation. The takeaway for the AI/ML community is a pivot in priorities: invest in safer locomotion, force/tactile sensing, robust control and certification methods rather than over‑reliance on video‑based imitation. This tempers headline claims from companies like Tesla and Figure and suggests timelines for useful, safe humanoids are likely farther out unless fundamental hardware and safety challenges are solved.