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Only ice can slow down the terrifying fence-climbing robot

Only ice can slow down the terrifying fence-climbing robot

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Since the world first saw Ghost Robotics' Minitaur robot last September, our best scientists have been racking their brains, asking themselves one question: how do you escape from a robot that can climb stairs, scale fences, and open doors? Finally, after months of study, we have an answer: ice.

Ghost Robotics' latest video shows the Minitaur even more capable than it was before, now showing off its ability to skitter over rocks, duck under ledges, and worm its way through tunnels. But despite its new ability to dynamically adjust its gait, the multi-legged device falters for a second when it hits a patch of frozen ground, slipping and skidding as it tries to right itself. It's this ice — the most primal of weapons — that could be our last hope when the endless tide of Minitaurs finally comes for humanity, sick of us kicking their brethren and stealing their boxes.

But even ice won't slow the Minitaur down forever. Its spidery legs power through, as the video shows, allowing it to rebalance itself and continue on like some kind of dark parody of a real human child. Perhaps your only option now is to contact Ghost Robotics directly to buy a Minitaur, to try and reason with its robot consciousness ahead of time. Or else it's time to run. Run, keep moving, and don't look back. Only the ice can save you now.

This post has been updated with video.