Boston Dynamics unveils its new humanoid robot, which is reaching several milestones as it goes to market. This is the next generation of its fully electric “Atlas” robot.
In the spotlight for several years, Boston Dynamics continues to impress with its robots with breathtaking performance. Founded in 1992, bought by Google in 2013, then by SoftBank in 2017, the American company is now majority owned by Hyundai Motor.
After having developed for years its Atlas robot, powered by a heavy and complex hydraulic system, but also its robot dog, Boston Dynamics today presents the new electric version of its humanoid, stronger, more dexterous and more agile than ever .
Atlas, a new generation robot with increased capabilities
The new Atlas, presented in a video published by the company, is equipped with an electric platform which offers a much more compact and sleek design, as well as a new hull.
No more weird backpack, external cables and little head with cameras and sensors. Now, the humanoid robot can get up from the ground by simply bending its legs and it has several axes of rotation that allow it to move in all directions.
Boston Dynamics has confirmed that the new Atlas will be more powerful and offer a greater range of motion than any of the previous generations. The move to an electric platform is not the only novelty, as the company’s robots have also been equipped with artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. Yes, you read correctly: the new Atlas is powered by AI.
Atlas, a robot intended to integrate into a world designed for humans
The new Atlas will focus on boring, dirty and dangerous tasks, to free humans for other activities.
But that’s not all: after years of development, the Atlas robot will finally be marketed. The first customer partner will be Hyundai, the new parent company of Boston Dynamics. The Hyundai team will serve as the perfect testing ground for new Atlas applications to experience the world and integrate into an environment designed for humans.
This new generation of Atlas, more powerful and more autonomous than ever, therefore leaves behind testing in closed environments. A perspective that is both fascinating and worrying, which raises many questions about the future of robotics.