Boston Dynamics have been working tirelessly on algorithms that allow it to balance itself and now even jump and flip with the help of hydraulics. Any kind of obstacle that humans might encounter on a daily basis like hills, curbs, steps, sitting, standing, or simply uneven ground can easily be traversed by the Atlas humanoid robot. These characteristics that mimic a human existence are starting to worry the general public as sci-fi movies have forever longed for the day robots will begin to think for themselves and effectively demolish the human race. But there is good news in regards to this. These humanoid bots, "still have to be taught how to do something useful with their newfound physical capabilities" (Miller).
Technology icons like Elon Musk have been a large critic in regards to robot development and success. Below is a tweet showing his concerns for this type of technology.
Here is the Atlas humanoid performing some very breathtaking and surreal agility test:
One of the biggest questions that come along with this new technology is not how it was made, but why was it made. What applications does such robot might have? Why does this technology need to exist? These questions might not have answers now but if this technology can seemingly appear overnight, what does the next decade have in store?
Source
Miller, Paul. “One Small Backflip for a Robot Is One Giant Leaping Backflip for Humankind.”The Verge, The Verge, 17 Nov. 2017.
Miller, Paul. “One Small Backflip for a Robot Is One Giant Leaping Backflip for Humankind.”The Verge, The Verge, 17 Nov. 2017.
Wow! This is really interesting stuff. It is pretty fascinating how the robot in that video moves almost exactly like a person. Usually robots or animatronics have jerky motion that looks cool but not "real." Boston Dynamic robot's movement mirrors the fluidity of living organisms. In regards to your first question, this type of robot has obvious future applications in combat. Smart robots that can move like us would be great replacements to ground soldiers to save American lives. Furthermore, it could allow us to create robot employees that could accomplish complex physical tasks.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting overall!
This video is very interesting, I love robots, and the movements of the robot in the video is really smooth. People are making huge progress in this field, and I believe one day they will be able to replace human to do some dangerous work. Robots also have higher efficiency than us, and I think this is the reason why the technology exists and keep developing.
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