Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot is a high-mobility humanoid robot designed to perform complex outdoor tasks like parkour. It is primarily intended for use in search and rescue operations. The company is based in Waltham, Massachusetts, and has been making the robot for several years. While Atlas has not yet been commercially released, it has been spotted performing impressive parkour moves and jogging around a field. It is also capable of achieving special dance moves and pulling remarkable moves and has even been filmed in a dance-off. The company has announced that the robot will be commercially released on June 17, 2020.
Boston Dynamics uses parkour as a research tool.
Boston Dynamics is using parkour as a research tool to develop its robots. The company is building three different robots for use in different environments. One of these robots is Spot, which resembles a dog. The other is called Stretch and is a mobile pick-and-pack robot. The first application of this robot will be to unload trucks. The third robot, Atlas, is used for research purposes and is a humanoid robot that does parkour.
While parkour has its roots in military obstacle course training, Boston Dynamics uses parkour to help its robotic machines learn the skills necessary to succeed in a challenging environment. The sport requires various movements, including running, climbing, vaulting, crawling, and jumping. While a human might not have a problem with these physical challenges, the complexity of parkour challenges even the most physically fit of us.
As part of their development process, engineers have created “template” behaviors specific to an environment. These behaviors enable the robot to adapt its actions based on its surroundings. As the team worked to perfect these behaviors, they had to balance long-term and short-term goals. They refined these behaviors with the help of computer simulations and actual testing of their robots.
Boston Dynamics is known for releasing videos of its robots performing parkour. These videos have gone viral and demonstrate the power of their robotics. In the videos, Atlas jumps over obstacles and performs backflips. It’s even been known to fall on its face. The Boston Dynamics team claims that Atlas will develop the same flexibility and mobility as a human athlete.
The team developed a parkour routine for the Atlas robot. Atlas leaped over a log, vaulted a beam, and even performed a backflip. The performance took several months to develop, and the engineers used it to test the robot’s balance and coordination.
The company also showcases its Atlas robot in a video. The Atlas robot can run over obstacles and jump over them. Boston Dynamics was purchased by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Co. 9984, +2.94% last year, and the company has had several ownership changes.