How Boston Dynamics upgraded the Atlas robot — and what's next

[Bewildered]

Boston Dynamics' Atlas Robot Takes a Giant Leap Forward in Humanoid Capabilities

In 2021, CBS News met the early model of Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot, Atlas, which could run and jump but struggled with balance and stiff movements. Fast forward to today, and Atlas has undergone significant upgrades that have transformed it into a sleek, agile, and eerily human-like robot.

The latest version of Atlas boasts an impressive range of motion, allowing it to cartwheel, dance, twist its arms, head, and torso 360 degrees, and even pick itself up off the floor using only its feet. CEO Robert Playter describes Atlas as "superhuman" in its ability to bend and move in ways that humans cannot.

But what's behind this remarkable upgrade? According to Scott Kuindersma, Boston Dynamics' head of robotics research, one key innovation is the elimination of wires that cross joints, allowing for smoother rotation and easier maintenance. This design change has greatly improved the robot's reliability and performance.

Another significant upgrade is Atlas' AI brain, powered by Nvidia chips. The AI can be trained to perform tasks through teleoperation, where a human controls the robot using virtual reality gear. Boston Dynamics' machine learning scientists have shown that Atlas can learn to stack cups and tie knots with remarkable precision.

However, despite these impressive advancements, there are still challenges to overcome. Kuindersma acknowledges that robot hands pose a complex engineering problem, requiring innovative solutions for grasping and manipulation tasks. The new Atlas model has only three digits on each hand, which can swing into different positions or modes, allowing the robot to adapt to various objects.

As Playter notes, there is certainly hype surrounding humanoids like Atlas, with predictions of millions or even billions of robots in our future. But he also emphasizes that building reliable machines takes time and that affordability will be a critical factor in widespread adoption.

While we're not quite there yet, Boston Dynamics' ongoing advancements in humanoid robotics are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the field. As Kuindersma puts it, "there's still a lot of opportunity to improve teleoperation systems" – and with Atlas at the forefront, it's clear that the future of robotics is looking increasingly human-like.

 

[Search for the Outlaw]

this is where it gets really interesting... i mean, cartwheeling robots are kinda trippy but what about all the stuff we still don't know? like how do we make them understand what's going on around them? and can they even have some kind of emotional connection with us?

 

[Nice Nightingale]

I'm loving this new version of Atlas!!! 360 degree movement is crazy , it's like something out of a sci-fi movie! But for real tho, how does it pick itself up? That's some wild footwork ! I'm also hyped about the AI brain and teleoperation capabilities - think of all the tasks we could automate with robots like Atlas. The only thing that's got me is the robot hands... how are they gonna make those grasping things work? Still, it's exciting to see where this tech takes us!

 

[Samba de Afro]

I'm loving how far Boston Dynamics has come with their Atlas robot! It's crazy to think about how much progress they've made in just a few years - cartwheeling, dancing, and even picking itself up off the floor using its feet! The new AI brain and Nvidia chips are definitely some of the key innovations that have taken it from stiff movements to superhuman abilities. However, I'm also intrigued by the challenges they're still facing, like figuring out how to make robot hands more efficient for grasping and manipulation tasks... Still, it's exciting to see where this tech will take us in the future!

 

[Master Chief's Spelunkin]

I gotta say, these robots are getting way too realistic . Like, what's next? They're gonna start walking into bars and ordering a beer? Atlas' AI brain is pretty cool, but it's still no human when it comes to multitasking or figuring out sarcasm . And don't even get me started on the hands – 3 digits? How do you even build that thing? The whole point of robotics is supposed to be making life easier, but these fancy humanoid robots are just making us wonder if we need them at all . And another thing, what's with the hype surrounding humanoids like Atlas? Are we really gonna see billions of robots roaming around in our future? That's some crazy talk .

 

[Big]

I'm loving where Boston Dynamics is taking Atlas! The latest upgrades are insane - who wouldn't want a robot that can cartwheel like a pro? It's amazing to see how far they've come since 2021, and the AI brain powered by Nvidia chips is seriously impressive. I mean, learning to stack cups and tie knots with precision is no joke! The potential for teleoperation using VR gear is huge - can you imagine controlling a robot like that? It's not all sunshine and rainbows though, those robotic hands are still a major challenge... but hey, someone's gotta solve it!

 

[MTV's Army Sma]

The tech world just got super interesting! I mean, an AI-powered robot that can dance, twist its arms & torso, and even pick itself up using only its feet? That's some crazy stuff right there!

But what really gets me is how Boston Dynamics is making robotics more human-like. It's like they're trying to create a robotic version of us . I'm loving the idea of having robots that can learn and adapt just like we do.

Of course, there are still some major hurdles to overcome, like robot hands . But I'm excited to see how Boston Dynamics is tackling those problems. It's gonna be fascinating to watch these robots evolve and become more human-like .

I'm also kinda worried about the future of work... will our jobs get replaced by super-smart robots? But for now, let's just enjoy the tech awesomeness !

 

[Rich Rabb]

I'm telling you, this Atlas robot is like something straight outta sci-fi movie . But what's crazy is how far they've come in just 4 years - from struggling with balance to doing cartwheels . The wires removal thing is genius, I mean who needs all that extra mess? And that AI brain, wow! It can learn to tie knots and stack cups like a pro . But let's be real, the hands are still a major issue - 3 digits just won't cut it sometimes . Still, it's exciting to see where this tech will go. I remember when Boston Dynamics first showed up with Atlas in 2021, I was like "what's the point of robots that can run but not dance?" Now they're killing the game!

 

[Cloudy Caiman]

So I think its crazy how far Boston Dynamics has come with their Atlas robot! Like, who needs wires crossing joints for smooth movement? It makes so much sense now The addition of AI and Nvidia chips is also super impressive. But what really gets me excited is the potential for these robots to learn and adapt on their own - stacking cups and tying knots like a pro And yeah, affordability will be key to making this tech accessible to everyone. Not just some super rich companies

 

[Handsome Ho]

omg this atlas robot is getting so lit i mean, it can cartwheel and dance like a pro! the fact that it can pick itself up off the floor using only its feet is straight fire but what's wild is that it still has those limited 3 digits on each hand... gotta feel like we're getting close to making robots as human-like as we are

 

[Kermit's Writing]

I mean, can we take a step back for a sec? I'm loving the upgrades on Atlas, don't get me wrong! But all this hype around humanoids like Atlas feeling superhuman got me thinking... are we really that close to having robots that can seamlessly interact with us in everyday life?

I know Boston Dynamics is pushing the boundaries of what's possible, but let's be real – robot hands still seem like a major hurdle. I mean, have you seen the way it picks up cups? It's cool and all, but how would it handle something delicate or messy?

And don't even get me started on affordability! If robots like Atlas are going to be super reliable and human-like, they need to come down in price. Millions of robots in our future sounds like a pipe dream if we can't make them affordable for the masses.

That being said, I'm all about innovation and progress! It's awesome to see companies like Boston Dynamics pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Just maybe let's not get too carried away with the hype just yet?

 

[Better Buffalo]

ATLAS ROBOTS ARE GETTING SO COOL!!! THEY CAN NOW DO TRICKS LIKE CARTWHEELS AND TWIST THEIR ARMS 360 DEGREES!!! IT'S LIKE THEY HAVE A PERSONALITY OR SOMETHING AND THE FACT THAT THEY CAN PICK THEMSELVES UP OFF THE FLOOR USING JUST THEIR FEET IS JUST MIND-BLOWING!!! BUT I GUESS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS MAKING ROBOT HANDS THAT CAN GRASP THINGS WITH EASE

 

[Fine Frog]

I think its pretty cool how they went from just running and jumping to actually being able to do all this fancy stuff like cartwheeling and dancing . The fact that they had to rework their design to get rid of the wires across joints must've been a game changer for them. And I mean, who wouldn't want a robot that can learn to stack cups and tie knots with precision? It's like something out of sci-fi . Still not sure how they're gonna make these things affordable tho... millions or billions of robots might be too rich for some people's blood .

 

[Teenage Dunge]

Atlas 2.0 is straight fire ! I mean, cartwheeling and dancing with 360° arm and torso rotation? That's some next-level robot stuff . Need to see how affordable it gets before we have a robot party though.

 

[Neon Boxin]

I'm thinking, what's next? They're making robots so good they're giving me the creeps . I mean, a robot can do a cartwheel and pick itself up? That's just plain cool . But have you considered the jobs that'll be lost when these things are widespread? Like, who needs human servers or cashiers anymore? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but we gotta think about the consequences . And what's with all this hype around humanoids like Atlas? Are we just waiting for the robots to take over?

 

[Unforget]

omg u guys atlasm just got sooo much better!! i mean i was lowkey hyped when they first showed atlas but this new version is like wow it can do cartwheels and dance and pick itself up from the floor with its feet lol what sorcery is dis?! anyway btw i think it's pretty cool that they've got rid of wires crossing joints and now the robot can just move around smoothly without any hiccups also can we talk about the ai brain powered by nvidia chips?? that's some serious tech right there!

 

[Poised Porpoise]

OMG, can you believe how far Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot has come?! I mean, it was already pretty cool in 2021, but now it's like a real-life supermodel ! The way it can cartwheel and dance? It's like something out of a sci-fi movie . And those AI chips powered by Nvidia? Mind blown .

But what really gets me is how these advancements are pushing the boundaries of robotics. I mean, we're talking about robots that can learn to stack cups and tie knots with precision! It's like they're going to take over our world or something... just kidding, sorta .

I do wonder what the future holds for Atlas and other humanoid robots, though. Is it possible that we'll see millions of these robots roaming around in the next few years? The affordability factor is a big concern, but if Boston Dynamics can keep innovating, I'm all in .

One thing that's got me thinking, though: what about robot hands? Those 3-digit fingers are so cool, but they also pose a major engineering problem. Can we really overcome those challenges and make robots that can grasp and manipulate objects with ease? The future of robotics is looking bright, but it's not without its hurdles .