Robot Fedor

What is in the frame

A bright room with lamps on the ceiling, metal shelving, and trusses along the edges. In the center stands a humanoid robot with a gray-and-white body, jointed arms, and a round head with a lens. It hangs from a chain by its head or the upper part of its body. In one hand the robot holds a dumbbell, with the arm extended downward; the other arm is slightly open. Among the wires on the body, exposed mechanical parts are visible.

On the left you can see a red valve wheel; on the right is a rack with things and a camouflage bag. There are no shorts or arms spread out “like on a cross” in this frame, and such details should not be made up. The image is funny enough on its own: a robot in a training scene looks like a diligent gym-goer.

The robot’s history

“Fedor” is a Russian humanoid robot created by NPO Android Technology. The name is decoded as Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research. For the space flight it was given the call sign Skybot F-850. An operator could control it through a special exoskeleton suit: the robot repeated human movements.

In 2017, according to media reports, a video appeared showing “Fedor” firing two pistols, and these clips also spread online. They reinforced the image of a “fighting robot,” which was later played for jokes.

Flight to the ISS

On August 22, 2019, the uncrewed Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft delivered the robot to the International Space Station. The first docking attempt failed, and the spacecraft docked on the second attempt, about five days after launch. The robot carried out experiments aboard the station, and on September 6 the descent vehicle returned to Earth. Roscosmos reported that the landing went normally.

It was this flight that gave rise to the memes. The docking difficulties concerned the spacecraft, not the robot itself. The meme uses not a fact but an image: a big “space” hero who looks more serious than the tasks he performs.

How the joke works

The main device is incongruity. A robot with a stern appearance, hanging from a chain, is busy holding a dumbbell. The result is a scene where power and expectations of a feat sit side by side with a very down-to-earth activity. This works well for jokes about people who talk a lot about preparation but stay in place.

For captions it is useful to stick to what is visible: the chain, the dumbbell, the laboratory. It is better not to impose political or evaluative conclusions about science and technology: the frame is about a funny image, not about the successes or failures of the industry.

Caption examples

All captions are made up for the article. “Me before the workout: a warm-up that lasts an hour and a half.” “Management: ‘We need a robotic approach.’ Approach: this.” “Monday, 7:30. I’m ready, hang me up.” “Bought a gym membership in January, using it in April.”

Tips

The meme suits jokes about the gym, readiness for work, and unaccustomed effort. Do not attribute to the robot failures that did not happen: what is visible in the photo is enough.

It is better to use the picture in short captions. If you mention the flight, stick to verified facts: the launch, the docking on the second attempt, the return to Earth.