Did your jaw drop the last time you saw Boston Dynamics’ Atlas bring a tool bag to a person working on a scaffold and complete a parkour obstacle course? Well, don’t be shocked because your worst nightmare about humanoid robots is not that. It has just begun. On Tuesday, Boston Dynamics announced the retirement of the Atlas model they had been working on, which caused quite a stir. Then yesterday, they released a video of an all-new Atlas.
And that, my friends, is The Atlas that is going to fuel your nightmares. In the video, Boston Dynamics offered the first look at the next generation of humanoid robots—a fully electric Atlas robot that is actually designed for real-world applications (or real-world horror—watch the video and you will know exactly what I mean).
If you think in each of the Atlas videos, the humanoid appears to progress leaps and bounds. Oh no, no, no. You are so wrong. This Atlas is the true definition of leaps and bounds.
The video starts with the new Atlas, with human-like proportions, lying chest down on the floor with its “face” facing the ceiling. Then it begins to get up in a horror movie way: folding its legs towards the body in an unorthodox way of standing up. At this point, its legs and body are facing the wrong way.
It then straightens itself and walks towards the camera while simultaneously turning its legs to face the correct direction. Quickly, it does the same for the body, and because it turned its body 180 degrees, the head has to turn around to face forward again.
Then it stops in front of the camera, performs the creepiest 180-degree turn possible, and walks away. And mind you, it now walks almost like an organic person. Gone are the days of walking like someone has kicked it in the balls.
I am impressed, and at the same time, and at the same time my hair stands a little from being creeped out by its smooth, horror movie-worthy movements. Skip ahead for the said video.
Images: Boston Dynamics.
