With their advanced sensors, hiding from robots has never been an option, but running from their often plodding frames has been, until now. Atlas can now run after you.
Three years ago former Google robotics outfit Boston Dynamics demonstrated its Terminator-like humanoid Atlas robot running through a forest tethered to a machine. Now that same hauntingly human robot can now run across and navigate uneven terrain unaided, bounding over the trickiest of obstacles … such as a log.
The new video shows Atlas running in what can only be described as a showy jog, striding with purpose and hinting that at any stage it might break into a lightning-quick sprint.
The new Atlas is actually smaller and lighter than is forbearer, weighing 80kg and standing tall at 1.75 metres (5 feet 9 inches). But it can also now jump, backflip, stack shelves and fend off attackers.
There’s even been a version fitted with wheels allowing it to zip across rooms, jump on to tables and terrify human observers.
Now the biped robot has seemingly conquered jogging across grass, which means not even Parkrun is safe from the tyranny of robots.
What’s next? Atlas out walking Boston Dynamics’ other surprisingly creepy robotic dog Spot Mini while riding on a Big Dog? That the firm’s robots were last seen fighting with humans may not bode well.
