Boston Dynamics Atlas Adds 360-Degree Torso Rotation and Begins Factory Training
The updated Atlas humanoid performs cartwheels and 360-degree twists. It will begin training at a Hyundai plant in Georgia this summer.
cnet.comThe latest Atlas humanoid robot from Boston Dynamics can cartwheel, dance, run with human-like fluidity, twist its arms, head and torso 360 degrees, and rise from the floor using only its feet. Correspondent Bill Whitaker observed the demonstrations at the company's headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts. Atlas can rotate its upper torso 180 degrees to reverse direction without turning around.
Head of robotics research Scott Kuindersma said the robot pivots on its core rather than physically turning like a human. The robot has no wires crossing the joints of its limbs, torso, and head. Kuindersma said the design removes a common reliability problem where wires break over time from repeated rotation.
Atlas's AI brain runs on Nvidia chips. Training occurs through teleoperation, in which a human wearing virtual reality gear controls the robot and repeats tasks until the system succeeds. A machine learning scientist demonstrated the method by teaching Atlas to stack cups and tie a knot.
Each hand has three digits that can swing into different positions. Kuindersma said the digits can function as a hand, act like a thumb, form a two-finger opposing grasp for small objects, or open wide for large objects. Tactile sensors on the fingers feed data to the neural network so the robot can adjust grip force.
Kuindersma noted that precise control of grip force remains an engineering challenge. He said further improvements to teleoperation systems are needed for more dexterous tasks. Bill Whitaker said financial institutions predict millions or billions of humanoid robots in daily life, but added that the technology is not there yet.
Former Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter said building reliable and affordable machines takes time even as AI software advances quickly. In 2021, 60 Minutes visited Boston Dynamics and saw an earlier Atlas model that could run, jump, and keep balance when pushed, though its movements were bulky and stiff. Since that report, the company has introduced a taller and stronger version.
