If seeing a humanoid robot getting in some bodyweight exercises doesn’t get you off the couch, maybe you deserve to be robot fodder when the uprising comes. Boston Dynamics has shared a new video of its revamped Atlas robot showcasing its new agility and strength.
If you recall, the older version was fairly nimble but also something of a clunker. The recently revealed second-generation robot has a much slimmer build and altogether more versatility in its movement, which the short clip emphasises very well.
Boston Dynamics Gym
As Boston Dynamics videos go, it’s not especially long or complicated but it doesn’t have to be. Humanoid robots generally bumble around looking like they’re constantly not falling over but that it’s an option at any moment. Atlas, on the other hand, is getting ripped.
It goes from a standing start to a pushup posture, pulling off a couple of reps before getting to its feet again. Atlas seems more capable in terms of dexterity, to the point where we’d think of sending it to the International Space Station to fly Boeing’s marooned Starliner home instead of sacrificing using a human. Maybe Elon Musk can make it happen, given that the Optimus robot still has some catching up to do.
There’s a bunch of stuff in the background of the video, which suggests that we might see more agility demonstrations from Boston Dynamics’ second-generation humanoid in the near future.