Impressive Human Moves
If there’s ever an Olympics for robots, we might have found the American entry for breakdancing.
Impressive Human Moves
The video starts by showing Atlas walking and then running. The walking was a little stiff, but the running was perfectly human-looking. Next, the robot "crawled," in the company’s words, but it looked more like a series of mountain climber exercise movements. It was extremely fluid, but Atlas was just getting started.
Athletic Intelligence
Boston Dynamics says Atlas learned the new moves through reinforcement learning (learning by trial and error instead of simply following a command) with references from human motion capture and animation — a step up from the somewhat creepy moves it showed off about a year ago.
Getting the Moves Right
At the core of Atlas is something the company calls "athletic intelligence," or a connection between perception and control that allows the robot to adapt on the fly. Atlas sees its surroundings in real time through depth sensors, generates a view of its environment, and acts accordingly. An advanced control system provides power and balance, and the robot’s whole body moves with a dexterity and speed that’s strikingly human.
The Video
Check out the impressive video below to see Atlas’s new moves in action:
Conclusion
Boston Dynamics has once again pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with robotics, and we can’t wait to see what’s next. With its impressive human-like movements, Atlas is certainly ready to take on the dance floor.
FAQs
Q: When will Atlas be released?
A: Boston Dynamics hasn’t announced a specific release date for Atlas, but when it is, it’s sure to be a game-changer.
Q: How does Atlas learn its moves?
A: Atlas learns through reinforcement learning, using references from human motion capture and animation.
Q: What is "athletic intelligence"?
A: Athletic intelligence is the connection between perception and control that allows Atlas to adapt on the fly, providing power, balance, and dexterity.
