This robot relies on human reflexes to keep its balance – TechCrunch

As much as we'd like to think that we're entering an era of autonomous robots, they're actually still pretty helpless. To keep them from falling down all the time, a human's fast reflexes could be the solution. But the human has to feel what the robot is feeling -- and that's just what these researchers are testing. Bipedal robots are excellent in theory for navigating human environments, but naturally are more prone to falling than quadrupedal or wheeled robots. Although they often have sophisticated algorithms that help keep them upright, in some situations those just might not be enough.