Boston Dynamics Released a Video Teaser of an All Electric Version of their Atlas Humanoid Robot

Boston Dynamics' Atlas Humanoid robot has been one of the most impressive humanoid research robotics platforms for some years now. Until today, the Atlas robot was actuated by hydraulics. Giving it impressive strength and reducing it's requirements for electrical power. Though the hydraulics make the system prone to failure due to the pressurized systems running hydraulic fluid all over the robot making it unreliable at times.

While it is clever to stand up in a novel way to take advantage of the extreme flexibility of a robot without tendons, it is inherently disturbing for people to watch. It draws to mind Count Orlok in 1922 of F.W. Murnau. We robotics's get asked "when is Terminator going to happen?" probably more than any other question. So we should be a little more careful with demonstrations that may be terror inspiring.

References

• Watch The Full Video on YouTube