The robots of Boston Dynamics surprise again with a new demonstration of their capabilities. The Hyundai-owned company shared a video in which two Atlas copies complete a parkour routine , which includes a synchronized finish with two laps back.
Although it is not the first time that the humanoid robot has performed a task of this type, it does bring with it several new features and improvements. In this case, it is not an exercise programmed to the millimeter and that is executed over and over again; this time the movements are based on perception , since the machines scan and react to their surroundings.
Let us be clear: this does not mean that they are conscious and carry out the task according to their will. What Boston Dynamics has achieved is that Atlas responds according to an order base, without the need for engineers to tell it exactly what actions to take in a given situation.
In this iteration of parkour, the robot is adapting behaviors from its repertoire based on what it sees. This means that engineers do not need to pre-program jump motions for all the possible platforms and holes they can find. Instead, the team creates fewer behavioral templates that can be adapted to the environment and run online.
Boston Dynamics Videos of Boston Dynamics robots dancing or doing parkour are fantastic promotional tools, accumulating millions of views on the web. However, there is a much deeper reason why Atlas and Spot show they can do it: that the technology that powers them evolves by leaps and bounds.
Boston Dynamics shapes the world future of humanoid robots thanks to parkour
The company itself recognizes that there is not much business opportunity behind a humanoid robot that simply knows how to do a cartwheel. But the broader picture shows that this type of device is increasingly capable of replicating human movements . They do this very naturally, even when faced with challenges related to their “physical build”.
If robots can eventually respond to their environments with the same level of dexterity as the average adult human, the range of potential applications will be virtually limitless.
Parkour, as narrow and specific as it may seem, gives the Atlas team a perfect environment to experiment with new behaviors. It's a whole-body activity that requires you to maintain your balance in different situations and seamlessly switch between one behavior and another.
Boston Dynamics The Boston Dynamics team acknowledges that the routine has not been perfect, and that each movement of the humanoid robot has been subject to failure. In fact, one of the least spectacular pirouettes has caused the most headaches: the jump on the balance beam.
In the final video you can see how Atlas supports one of his arms on a low beam and falls standing on the other side. According to the developers, the robot failed in half of the attempts . Although he could jump the bar, upon landing he lost his balance and fell backwards. This forced the engineers to go through the logs to find adjustments that could be applied on the fly.
“If you or I jumped over a barrier, we would take advantage of certain properties of our bodies that are not transferred to the robot. For example, the robot does not have a spine or shoulder blades, so it does not have the same range of motion as you or me The robot also has a heavy torso and relatively weak arm joints, “explained Scott Kuindersma, team leader dedicated to Atlas at Boston Dynamics.
Shocking technology, but that still needs development and maturation
It's also good to put these advances in context. As Atlas is a research platform and not a robot for sale to the public , it is proposed that all the technology developed in this project achieve practical application in the years to come. So don't wait anytime soon for a “machine rebellion” with dance routines and parkour.
“It is hard for me to imagine a world 20 years from now in which there are no mobile robots capable of moving gracefully and reliably, and working alongside humans to enrich our lives. But we are still in the early days of life. creating that future . I hope demonstrations like this provide a small glimpse of what is possible, “said Kuindersma.
