A robot dog at your event: formats and guest safety

A robot dog triggers genuine emotions: people want to pet it, photograph it, give it a command. That is why it works so well at events – from corporate parties to city festivals. But an agile robot in a crowd needs careful organisation. Here are the formats and the safety rules we follow.

Formats where a robot dog shines

Show act

A short performance on stage or in the centre of the hall: an entrance to music, standing on its hind legs, a “wave”, a dance routine. The GO2 Pro fits best – dynamic and spectacular. Length: 5-10 minutes.

Promo walk

The robot in branded style walks along the event route: from the entrance to the booth, along the food court, through the photo zone. It draws attention to your brand across the whole space, not just at one spot.

Photo zone

The robot dog poses with guests and follows commands like “sit” and “paw”. A queue for the robot photo zone is the norm, so plan for a photographer and a waiting area.

Kids programme

A workshop where children learn how a robot “sees” the world and give it simple commands. For this format we bring the programmable Go2 EDU.

Safety: our rules

A robot dog weighs about 15 kilograms and moves fast. So at every event we follow these rules:

• An engineer nearby. The robot never works without a person holding the remote who can stop it instantly.
• A marked area. During a show act the movement area is taped off or marked on the floor. Guests watch from 1.5-2 m away.
• Slow mode around people. On promo walks and in the photo zone the robot moves at reduced speed.
• Children with adults. Kids interact with the robot only with parents or an animator present and on the engineer’s cue.
• No touching while it moves. Petting and photos only when the robot is standing or sitting.

What the organiser needs to provide

• a level surface without steps along the robot’s route;
• an act area of at least 4×4 m;
• a 220 V socket for charging between appearances;
• a place to store the cases;
• the programme, so we can fit the robot’s appearances into the timing.

Outdoors

A robot dog walks confidently on asphalt, paving, compacted ground and even gentle slopes. We do not take it out in the rain, onto sand or wet grass, though – it is a risk both to the hardware and to stable movement. For outdoor festivals we always agree on a canopy or a backup location with the organiser.

How long it works at an event

One battery gives roughly one to two hours of active work. For a full day we plan several appearances with breaks and bring spare batteries. Between appearances the robot “rests” in the engineer’s zone, which becomes a small show for curious guests too.

Other event formats with robots are under events.

Preparing the guests

Most people see a robot dog for the first time, so a short explanation before the act removes tension: the host or the engineer explains that the robot is controlled, where to stand and when photos are allowed. A sign with simple rules next to the area – “watch from behind the tape”, “photos when the robot sits” – works better than strict bans.

Think about animals too: if guests may bring dogs, warn the organiser. Real dogs react to the robot in different ways, and we plan appearances to avoid surprise encounters. The robot can also be dressed in your brand style – a branded vest, stickers, accessories – as long as nothing covers the cameras and sensors or restricts movement.

Want a robot dog at your event? Tell us about it – we will pick a format and draw up a safe appearance plan.