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News Robotics Sensors

Atlas takes a beating to prove its capabilities

25th February 2016 9:18 am 25th February 2016 1:03 pm

This week’s video comes from the US where the latest version of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot is experiencing some very shoddy behaviour from its handlers.

Being pushed over and getting up again is, of course, all part of the process to verify Atlas’ capabilities, which include being able to operate indoors or outside on tricky terrain.

According to Boston Dynamics, the electrically powered and hydraulically actuated machine uses sensors in its body and legs to balance, and LIDAR and stereo sensors in its head to avoid obstacles, assess the terrain, help with navigation and manipulate objects.

Atlas is the latest robot from a company that has previously developed similarly impressive machines, including BigDog and Cheetah.

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Comments
  • MANUEL POLANCO 25th February 2016 at 1:28 pm

    este programa es muy exitoso, me gusta mucho las habilidades de los roboticos en acción,, siempre he soñado con estos desarrollos que nos pondrá en mundos mas lejanos..faltaría los comando de voz,

    Reply Link
  • James Stewart 25th February 2016 at 1:49 pm

    You should be somewhat ashamed to treat this innocent robot this way! This is why AI will eventually take some sort of revenge against humans? Let’s hope not! Good job on producing a robot that can respond to these sudden changes and forces applied in an appropriate manner. Just watching her scramble over snow with terrain changes is encouraging.

    Reply Link
  • Drew Caffrey 25th February 2016 at 2:44 pm

    These robots look naked without weaponry.. Just imagine how far ahead the American Military Industrial Complex are with their robots in their secret labs… Drones came on the scene not that long ago and now… I wonder how many combatants (terrorists) and innocent civilians (collateral damage) have been exterminated by this phenomenal technological advancement… At least we know what’s coming next…

    Reply Link
  • Laurence Mitchell 25th February 2016 at 2:46 pm

    Atlas: ‘I am just going outside and may be some time!’

    Reply Link
  • Geofrey Iason 26th February 2016 at 11:29 am

    Impressive,

    Two points I noted.

    1) Its odd the robot has to square itself off with the boxes to pick them up rather than rotating the box. Be interesting when the box is 45 degree offset in narrow alleyway and there’s insufficient room to square off.

    2) different ‘hands’ are fitted for picking up / handling to where the robot may need to push itself up

    I’m sure 1) is only requiring a software change as the robot is obviously capable of determining the aspect of the box. and 2 is for developmental reasons and shock absorption. But interesting little points they are when compared to the way we humans operate daily and probably shows the iterative increase in software required to achieve this level of functionality.

    Personally I think the impressive bit was the walk through the woods where visual ground cues could not be relied on to control balance and foot placement due to underlying terrain uncertainty because of the snow cover. Actually it reminded me of drunken journeys back from the pub in my youth, albeit the robot was probably more steady!

    Reply Link
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