Wow. How amazing is this robot from Boston Dynamics.
But doesn’t it leave you just a tincy-wincy bit worried about where robotics will take us?
Surely, Terminator-style killing machines are just a hop, skip and jump – and maybe a few years away.
You could just see the military getting all hot and bothered by something like this (just think of the possibilities).
Atlas is the latest in a line of advanced humanoid robots that Boston Dynamics is developing.
Boston Dynamics is a spin-off of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where the talented team developed the first robots that ran and maneuvered like animals.
The robot’s control system coordinates arms, torso and legs to achieve whole-body mobile manipulation, greatly expanding its reach and workspace.
Its ability to balance while performing tasks allows it to work in a large volume while occupying only a small footprint.
The Atlas hardware takes advantage of 3D printing to save weight and space, resulting in a remarkable compact robot with a high strength-to-weight ratio and dramatically large workspace.
Stereo vision, range sensing and other sensors give Atlas the ability to manipulate objects in its environment and to travel on rough terrain.
Atlas keeps its balance when jostled or pushed and can get up if it fall over.
The robot is 150cm tall, weighs 75kg and – you guessed it – runs on batteries.