Safety and site requirements

A humanoid robot at an event is a moving machine among members of the public, many of whom will walk backwards towards it while looking at a phone. This page is about planning for that. It is general guidance and it is not a substitute for the supplier's own risk assessment, the venue's rules, or the law where you are.

Who is responsible for what

The supplier is responsible for the robot, its condition, its operator, and the way it is operated. The venue is responsible for the space and its house rules. You, as the hirer, are responsible for telling both of them the truth about the environment: how many people, what kind of people, what the floor is, and what else is happening around the stand.

Agree in writing, before the event, who performs the risk assessment and who signs it off. On most jobs it is the supplier, reviewed by the venue.

The exclusion zone

Almost every problem is solved by keeping people at a distance. Ask the supplier what working envelope the robot needs and how the boundary will be maintained: barriers, a raised platform, floor marking, or a person whose only job is that. Bipedal robots can fall. Assume that a fall in the worst direction is possible and that nobody should be standing there.

Floor, power and space

Legged robots are sensitive to surface. Loose cable mats, deep carpet, polished stone, gratings and thresholds all change how a robot walks. Give the supplier the real floor finish, not the one in the floor plan. Confirm power: how many sockets, on which phase, and whether charging happens on the stand or backstage. Confirm access: lift dimensions and weight limits, door widths, whether there are steps on the route.

Crowds and public interaction

Decide in advance whether the public may touch the robot, and say so with signage. Plan for queueing if the robot is the attraction, because a crowd that closes in is the most common cause of an emergency stop. Brief your own stand staff on what to do if the robot stops, and where the operator will be standing.

Autonomy, teleoperation and honesty

Ask the supplier, plainly, whether what you are about to see is autonomous, teleoperated or pre-programmed. All three are legitimate. A pre-programmed routine is often the right answer for a reliable stage moment. What matters is that your audience is not misled and that your own marketing does not claim something the robot is not doing. If a supplier is vague about this, treat it as a warning.

Operators

Ask who the operator is, whether they are trained on that specific model, how long they can work without a break, and what happens on a multi-day event. Ask what the emergency stop is, who can reach it, and how long the robot takes to come to a safe state.

Insurance

Ask for the certificate, and read the limit and the exclusions rather than the headline. Check whether it covers public liability at the value your venue requires, whether it covers the robot itself, and whether the venue needs to be named. This platform does not provide insurance, does not arrange it, and does not verify a supplier's cover.

Data protection

If the robot has cameras or microphones, establish what is recorded, where it goes, how long it is kept and whether faces are processed. In many jurisdictions filming attendees needs signage and a lawful basis. Get this in writing before the event rather than discovering it in a complaint afterwards.

A short pre-event checklist

• Risk assessment done, signed, and shared with the venue.
• Floor finish, access route and lift dimensions confirmed against the real venue.
• Power confirmed, charging location agreed.
• Exclusion zone agreed and physically achievable on your stand.
• Operator named, and cover arranged for breaks and for multi-day events.
• Emergency stop location known to your staff.
• Insurance certificate received and read.
• Camera and microphone use, signage and retention agreed.
• Failure plan agreed: what happens if the robot cannot run.