Electric era Atlas robot enters the stage

It turns out that the previous hydraulic Atlas, which has been retired, was but an evolutionary step towards a robotic Übermensch.

The electric version of Atlas will be stronger, says the company, with a broader range of motion than previously, and it is “exploring several new gripper variations to meet a diverse set of expected manipulation needs in customer environments”.

Specifically, it is 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. Hence the unconventional rising posture that can be seen in the video below.

Electric era

Boston Dynamics writes:

“We are unveiling the next generation of humanoid robots – a fully electric Atlas robot designed for real-world applications. The new Atlas builds on decades of research and furthers our commitment to delivering the most capable, useful mobile robots solving the toughest challenges in industry today: with Spot, with Stretch, and now with Atlas. Stay tuned to see what the world’s most dynamic humanoid robot can really do — in the lab, in the factory, and in our lives.”

You can read more on the Boston Dynamics website.

See also: Picture of the day: Origami-inspired centimetre-scale quadruped robot