Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas robot is a swiveling, shape-shifting nightmare
It’s alive! A day after announcing it was retiring Atlas, its hydraulic robot, Boston Dynamics has introduced a new, all-electric version of its humanoid machine. The next-generation Atlas robot is designed to offer a far greater range of movement than its predecessor.
Boston Dynamics wanted the new version to show that Atlas can keep a humanoid form without limiting “how a bipedal robot can move.” The new version has been redesigned with swiveling joints that the company claims make it “uniquely capable of tackling dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks.”
“We designed the electric version of Atlas to be stronger, more dexterous, and more agile,” the company said in its press release. “Atlas may resemble a human form factor, but we are...