Video: Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot masters tough factory jobs

Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot Atlas has advanced significantly, demonstrating superhuman agility and real-world factory capabilities at Hyundai’s auto plant near Savannah, Georgia. Standing 5’9″ and weighing 200 pounds, Atlas performs complex manufacturing tasks alongside humans, showcasing movements such as flips, running, and dancing with precision. A key innovation in this latest version is the robot’s joints, which can rotate a full 360 degrees, enabling motions beyond human biomechanics. This continuous joint rotation also removes wires from moving parts, enhancing reliability. Atlas’s AI, powered by Nvidia chips, allows it to learn new tasks through teleoperation, where human operators guide its hands via VR until it can perform autonomously. Its three-fingered hands with tactile sensors provide fine control for manipulating objects of various sizes. One notable behavior is Atlas’s unique method of rising from the ground, which involves a contortion-like sequence designed to optimize safety, energy efficiency, and sensor verification. Unlike humans, Atlas must calculate each motion precisely