Watch: Atlas Robot Takes on Autonomous Tasks—with a Surprising Twist

Atlas employs a machine learning (ML) vision model to perceive and map its surroundings, executing all movements autonomously without pre-set or remote-controlled actions. The robot can identify and adapt to environmental changes, such as shifting fixtures, and respond to action failures—like missed insertions, trips, or collisions—by utilizing a blend of vision, force, and proprioceptive sensors.

That’s how Boston Dynamics described its newest video released today, which you’re about to watch.

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas Robot

Indeed, Boston Dynamics’ all-electric Atlas robot can now autonomously handle various pick-up and place tasks—and its unique, swivel-jointed design makes it fascinating to watch. We’ve seen Atlas perform unusual moves in April’s brief reveal video, but this latest footage is truly next-level.

Atlas’s Haunting Movements

Boston Dynamics didn’t warn viewers that they might have nightmares after watching Atlas “at work” for nearly three minutes. Atlas’s movements evoke memories of Linda Blair’s head-spinning scene in The Exorcist and her eerie spider-walk down the stairs.

I even hit rewind at least three times during the “jump-scare” moment in the video. Since it’s the day before Halloween, perhaps giving fans a bit of a fright is perfectly fitting.

Regardless, Atlas’s new video is impressively cool, and its unnaturally twisting torso, neck, hip, and shoulder joints aren’t just for show. Watching the robot “work” here—and seeing it lift off the ground in the launch video below—reveals that these movements are both smart and efficient.

Machine learning through computer vision and physical experimentation will ultimately enable these humanoid robots to observe and learn nearly any manual task that humans can perform. Such technology holds the potential to revolutionize society on a large scale, uncoupling productivity from population numbers and possibly leading to a post-capitalist era of abundance.

While Boston Dynamics has historically focused on research with its groundbreaking humanoids, companies like Tesla, Figure, and Agility are pushing toward large-scale humanoid production. Perhaps we’ll soon see this new Atlas heading in the direction of commercial deployment as well.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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