Most downtowns have seen their share of sidewalk oddities—human statues, couples’ quarrels and exotic animals—but on Sept. 23, Lemon Avenue added a new one: a humanoid robot strolling down the street like it was out for an evening constitutional. Blue LED bands glowed on its helmet, its mechanical joints moved in deliberate rhythm, and heads turned as it passed.

Local resident and photographer Kathleen Fuller was among the stunned onlookers. She pulled out her phone and captured the scene. “I was at [Corona Cigar Bar] and was shocked when I saw it walking around,” she says. 

In the background of her video, Fuller can be heard asking if anyone was controlling the robot. No one answered. Later, she noticed that a man in a gray T-shirt, standing just in front of her, appeared to be holding a remote. “I was focused on the robot and his back was to me, so I didn’t see the remote until I stopped the video,” she says.

The sight of a humanoid in motion inspired a mix of amusement and unease. “It was scary, kind of a Terminator vibe,” Fuller says. “I was amused by it, but still surprised.”

The visitor to Lemon Avenue was probably a Unitree G1 humanoid robot. Built by the Chinese robotics company Unitree, the G1 stands just over four feet tall and weighs around 77 pounds. It comes equipped with dexterous hands, cameras and  Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors, using rapid laser pulses to measure distances and create a precise 3D map of the robot’s surroundings. It can walk, climb and perform programmed tasks.

For anyone wondering about the price tag: Unitree lists the G1 for about $16,000 through its online store. Some resellers advertise it for closer to $21,000. (Another example of pricey toys for the wealthy, perhaps?)

The robot is marketed as a research and development platform, not a household helper. Universities, robotics labs and startup businesses use it to test motion, dexterity and artificial intelligence control systems. It’s also a crowd-pleaser at expos and public demonstrations—like its walk in Sarasota, where it played with a child and approached a parking meter worker.

Humanoids are popping up elsewhere, too. Universities in Australia have marched Unitree bots through city streets as experiments in human-robot interaction. U.S. companies like Boston Dynamics and Agility Robotics regularly release videos of bipedal machines running, carrying boxes or opening doors. In China, Unitree recently announced a smaller humanoid, the R1, at a much lower price point, signaling that this field is only accelerating.

Most people won’t be ordering a $16,000 robot anytime soon. But there’s plenty of pop culture to watch if you’re curious about a future filled with mechanical neighbors. Films like Ex Machina and I, Robot, TV series like Westworld, Humans and Black Mirror, and books like Klara and the Sun offer no shortage of scenarios where humans meet machines—or even become them.

Back on Lemon Avenue this week, though, the effect was more personal: a cigar bar, a downtown crowd and a little robot walking into the night.