Now we can talk freely about Skynet, Isaac Asimov, Bishop, the replicants, Commander Data, and every science fiction work that has robots and/or androids, because after seeing the new video published by the people at Boston Dynamics about the new generation of the Atlas robot (now part of Google and with DARPA friends in the background), it will be inevitable to think about them. Doors, snow, uneven terrain, and even a human with a stick, Atlas can handle all of that.
From PETMAN to Atlas
To understand the history of Atlas, we must go back to 2009, when Boston Dynamics was starting to do its things with the PETMAN robot. From a certain point of view, PETMAN is an ancestor of Atlas, or a sort of "alpha version" if you will. Atlas was presented to the public in July 2013, and from then on it began to improve its abilities. That same year, Boston Dynamics was acquired by Google and assimilated through X (previously Google X), but the process did not alter the robot's progress in the least. Last Tuesday, the company presented what will be the new generation of Atlas, an edition optimized for indoor and outdoor operation, without any supports or umbilical cords.
Capabilities and Resilience
All those hits that Atlas received in the past have paid off, because now it can walk on snow and traverse uneven terrain without losing its balance. It also manages to place boxes on shelves without much difficulty, even though each box weighs no less than 4.5 kilograms. Another aspect to consider is its ability to adapt to unexpected variables, such as an object changing position... and a human with a stick. Many comments on the web talk about "feeling sorry" for the robot, but they are nothing more than necessary evaluations to test the flexibility and robustness of its design.
This version of Atlas is 175 centimeters tall and weighs just under 82 kilograms, parameters that should allow it to operate in "human spaces" without problems, and even take on more complex tasks in the future, such as driving a vehicle. The rotating accessory on its head is a LIDAR system, making this Atlas the first in its family to incorporate that technology. In short: Atlas is extraordinary, but if we know Boston Dynamics well, we'll surely see an update within the next six months...
