A viral video of hefty robot walking behind a man who was dressed in a thawb and wearing a keffiyeh on his head is being shared with the false claims that the man is the King of Bahrain and the robot is his personal bodyguard.
Claim
The video which garnered millions of views and is being shared extensively by people on various platforms is being perceived just as what is being claimed, that the 'King of Bahrain arrived in Dubai with a robotic bodyguard.' There are many publications that have reported the event as the same. But the truth is the robot is Titan, a partially-mechanised robotic suit developed by a British robotics company.
The Truth
Many media sites reported that the video is misinformation being circulated and is simply looking for attention. Reports state that the man walking in the front is not the Emir of Bahrain and hence, the giant robot following close behind is not his bodyguard. It is 'Titan', a robot, who is renowned the world over.
In 2019, a defence exhibition was held in UAE and it was named 'Idex Exhibition'. The event had taken place in Abu Dhabi, where Titan was showcased to visitors. Even in the video, UAE flags can be seen on the shoulders and arms of Titan.
Also, the man shown in the video is not the Emir of Bahrain. The Emir of Bahrain is Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Ever since Titan was showcased to the world; he has been a rage for many. The video being circulated now just seems for garnering views.
'This is a recipe for disaster': Netizens react
Twitter, however, gave many reactions to the video. There were many who said that it is fake news. A user Jamil Soni said, "You realise this is fake news right? There is indeed a prototype named Titan. But it's not the bodyguard of the Emir of Bahrain. Nor is that the Emir of Bahrain. This was at an arms showcase last year."
Another user Chimoto pitched in, "How does it identify target enemies and differentiate between friends and foes? Is this thing safe in a situation where children and the disabled are sitting targets? This is a recipe for disaster. Humans in all their perceived faults can make rational decisions in crisis."
Another Twitter user Louis Nel said, "Looks like a video from the UAE defence show Idex in Abu Dhabi. The man is also not the King of Dubai."
Watch the video here:
New #Avatar of #Hulk ??
King of #Bahrain 's bodyguard #robot is going viral in Social Media !!
Technology & AI replacing humans very fast ! @ipskabra @ParveenKaswan @ipsvijrk#awesome #technology #ArtificialIntelligence #Amir #Wed #ironman pic.twitter.com/ddQ68U8lMX— Sonmoni Borah IAS (@sonmonib5) August 13, 2020
