The Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics is now electric.
The same week the company retired its hydraulic Atlas model, it unveiled a first look at the newest version of the humanoid. While this robot looks more human-like than its predecessor, it can move in ways no human can. A promotional video shows the new Atlas standing up by spinning its legs around its back and turning its head 180 degrees before walking off screen. Ouch.
“Atlas may resemble a human form factor, but we are equipping the robot to move in the most efficient way possible to complete a task, rather than being constrained by a human range of motion,” the company said in a news release.
Boston Dynamics envisions all sorts of commercial applications for the new Atlas. The company says it will demonstrate the robot’s abilities in the coming months and years, starting with Hyundai, which will “test and iterate Atlas applications,” as well as a small group of pilot customers beginning next year.
Rather than the bulky, top-heavy look of the HD Atlas, the new Atlas has a face that recalls a mirrored ring light or the Pixar lamp. The robot maker says the new Atlas “will be stronger, with a broader range of motion than any of our previous generations,” as well as be “more dexterous and more agile.” It will build on old Atlas’s maneuverability and lifting ability with grippers that can perform various tasks.
Boston Dynamics tells Fast Company that it’s targeting a battery life of four hours for a commercial version of the robot. Not that it matters—the engineers expect the humanoid to even swap out its own battery.
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