Robotics Researcher Satirizes How to Fake a Robotics Paper Ahead of ICRA Deadline
chris_j_paxton · x · 2026-09-12
Robotics researcher Chris Paxton marked the ICRA deadline with a satirical guide to faking a robotics paper that doubles as a critique of demo culture in the field:
- Don't let outsiders run comparisons — if others can test your model, its limits surface fast; secrecy is best
- Carefully control the demo environment: lighting, objects, and initial robot config can overfit the scene for smooth, high-quality motions
- Never show failures — only genuinely strong robotics work can afford to show them
- If comparisons are unavoidable, choose the people and circumstances carefully
The satirical framing is a warning to read impressive robot demo videos with skepticism.
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