The task of moving engine covers “between delivery containers and a mobile sequencer” isn’t particularly exciting, but it does demonstrate several of the new robot’s capabilities working together. Given only a “list of bin locations between which parts can be transferred,” Atlas uses various sensors and machine learning models to determine the bin locations and how it needs to manipulate its body, arms, and three-fingered hands to grab and move the items inside them parts.
The new Atlas is able to perform the task assigned to it in real time and respond to environmental signals. At one point in the video, the part is placed a little too high to easily slide into one of the sequence cart’s compartments. When the robot encounters resistance, it removes the part and then reassesses its orientation and position before making adjustments and successfully trying again.
As can also be seen by the “Fully Autonomous” watermark in the video, Boston Dynamics is trying to emphasize that its latest humanoid robot can perform complex tasks with minimal human intervention. A few weeks ago, it was revealed that Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots that interacted with guests and served drinks during Cybercab’s presentation were mostly controlled remotely by humans.
Like other robots such as the four-legged Spot and the one-armed Stretch, the new Atlas could one day become more than just a platform for Boston Dynamics to demonstrate its latest and greatest technology. But that’s assuming its advanced capabilities don’t come with an outrageous price tag.
Credit : www.theverge.com
