New humanoid robot
American robotics design company Boston Dynamics has introduced an electric version of its humanoid robot Atlas, which it says will be more agile and stronger
American engineering and new humanoid robot design company Boston Dynamics has introduced an electric version of its humanoid robot Atlas, which it says will be more agile and stronger.
The electric Atlas is a replacement for its hydraulic version. In a video released earlier this week, the company said: “For almost a decade, Atlas has sparked our imagination, inspired the next generations of roboticists, and leapt over technical barriers in the field. Now it’s time for our hydraulic Atlas new humanoid robot to kick back and relax.”
Introduced first in 2013, the hydraulics version of Atlas, also known as the HD Atlas, caught the attention of viewers worldwide for its ability to perform parkour, backflips, lifting heavy objects and even some dance moves. In 2021, the humanoid robot was showcased in a fun video by the company where 4 Boston Dynamics robots dance to a 1962 hit song by The Contours. According to an Associated Press report from 2021, it took a year and half of choreography, simulation and programming for the sequence to be put together.
The electric new humanoid robot of Atlas will be stronger, with a broader range of motion than any of its previous generations, the company said in a blogpost on 17 April. “For example, our last generation hydraulic Atlas (HD Atlas) could already lift and maneuver a wide variety of heavy, irregular objects; we are continuing to build on those existing capabilities and are exploring several new gripper variations to meet a diverse set of expected manipulation needs in customer environments.”
According to the company, the latest iteration of the Atlas new humanoid robot also builds on a long history of innovation and R&D pushing the limits of whole-body mobility and bimanual manipulation. “From PETMAN testing protective clothing to the recently retired HD Atlas performing parkour, we have spent over a decade moving the state of the art forward with humanoid robotics,” the blog post explains.
The electric version of Atlas will also be stronger, more dexterous, and more agile. “Atlas may resemble a human form factor, but we are equipping the new humanoid robot to move in the most efficient way possible to complete a task, rather than being constrained by a human range of motion. Atlas will move in ways that exceed human capabilities. Combining decades of practical experience with first principles thinking, we are confident in our ability to deliver a new humanoid robot uniquely capable of tackling dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks in real applications,” Boston Dynamics said in its statement.
One such early implementation of an application with Hyundai, the robotics company said. “In addition to investing in us, the Hyundai team is building the next generation of automotive manufacturing capabilities, and it will serve as a perfect testing ground for new Atlas applications.”
Also read: Here’s how scientists made those Boston Dynamics robots dance like a human