Boston Dynamics releases video of Atlas robot that now needs zero help from humans to perform tasks
Robotics company Boston Dynamics has released a new video of its humanoid robot Atlas – now performing tasks with zero human intervention.
Robotics company Boston Dynamics has released a new video of its humanoid robot Atlas – now performing tasks with zero human intervention.
In the video released by the futuristic lab – the robot can be seen performing rote physical tasks with ease and without any help from people guiding it.
The bag of bolts moves engine covers in between supplier containers and while navigating a mobile sequencing dolly – simulating what it would be like to work in a factory, according to the video’s caption.
The company emphasized that the humanoid is “Fully Autonomous” – using machine learning vision model to adapt to changing conditions.
The video includes shots of what Atlas sees while performing its tasks – revealing a somewhat fisheye field of vision that includes highlighted recognition of the objects that it is handling.
“There are no prescribed or teleoperated movements; all motions are generated autonomously online. The robot is able to detect and react to changes in the environment like,” engineers from Boston Dynamics explained.
Earlier this month, Boston Dynamics introduced the world to Atlas – whose head is vaguely reminiscent of the Pixar lamp.
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From Wikipedia:
Boston Dynamics, Inc., is an American engineering and robotics design company founded in 1992 as a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, Boston Dynamics has been owned by the Hyundai Motor Group since December 2020, but having only completed the acquisition in June 2021.[1]
Boston Dynamics develops a series of dynamic highly mobile robots, including BigDog, Spot, Atlas, and Handle. Since 2019, Spot has been made commercially available, making it the first commercially available robot from Boston Dynamics, while the company has stated its intent to commercialize other robots as well, including Handle.
The company was founded by Marc Raibert, who spun the company off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992. The company was an outgrowth of the Leg Laboratory, Raibert's research lab at MIT and Carnegie Mellon University. The Leg Laboratory helped establish the scientific basis for highly dynamic robots. These robots were inspired by the remarkable ability of animals to move with agility, dexterity, perception and intelligence, and the work there set the stage for the robots developed at Boston Dynamics. Nancy Cornelius was a co-founder of Boston Dynamics, having joined the company as its first employee.
During her time there she served as an officer of the company, did engineering on many contracts, was CFO for 10 years, and later was VP in charge of engineering on several contracts. She retired after 21 years of service in 2013, when the company was acquired by Google. Robert Playter was also a co-founder of the company, joining a few months later, as soon as he completed his PhD thesis at MIT working with Raibert in the Leg Laboratory. Playter was COO at the company for many years and has been CEO since 2019
Early in the company's history, it worked with the American Systems Corporation under a contract from the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) to replace naval training videos for aircraft launch operations with interactive 3D computer simulations featuring characters made with DI-Guy, software for realistic human simulation.[6] Eventually the company started making physical robots—for example, BigDog was a quadruped robot designed for the U.S. military with funding from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
On December 13, 2013, the company was acquired by Google X (later X, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.) for an unknown price,[9] where it was managed by Andy Rubin until his departure from Google in 2014.[10] Immediately before the acquisition, Boston Dynamics transferred their DI-Guy software product line to VT MÄK, a simulation software vendor based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
On June 8, 2017, Alphabet Inc. announced the sale of the company to Japan's SoftBank Group for an undisclosed sum. On April 2, 2019, Boston Dynamics acquired the Silicon Valley startup Kinema Systems.
In November 2020, the firm signed an agreement with Trimble Inc. to further develop the Spot dog product.
In December 2020, Hyundai Motor Group acquired an 80% stake in the company from SoftBank for approximately $880 million. SoftBank Group retains about 20% through an affiliate. In June 2021, it was announced that Hyundai officially took a controlling stake in the company from SoftBank.
In October 2022, the company signed a pledge saying it would not support any weaponization of its robotic creations. Boston Dynamics offered other robotics companies to join the pledge with five other firms signing as well
Hyundai Motor Group Completes Acquisition of Boston Dynamics from SoftBank
Discover the latest Hyundai news in Australia, Hyundai Motor Groups acquisition of Boston Dynamics from SoftBank. Stay updated with Hyundai Australia.
Hyundai Motor Group acquires a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank, following regulatory approvals and other conditions
The Group expects synergy between the companies to accelerate the development of cutting-edge robotics featuring advanced mobility, manipulation and vision capabilities
With Boston Dynamics, the Group will create a robotics value chain, from robot component manufacturing to smart logistics solutions
#hyundai #bostondynamics #softbank
Hyundai Motor Group (the Group), Boston Dynamics, Inc. and SoftBank Group Corp. (SoftBank), today announced the completion of the Group’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank, following the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The deal valued the mobile robot firm at $1.1 billion. Additional financial details were not disclosed.
Post-closing, the Group holds an 80 percent stake in Boston Dynamics and SoftBank, through one of its affiliates, retains the remaining 20 percent stake.
Boston Dynamics is the established leader in developing agile, mobile robots that have been successfully integrated into business operations of many of the world’s leading industrial firms. Advanced robotics offer opportunities for rapid growth with the potential to positively impact society by making work safer and more productive.
By acquiring Boston Dynamics and securing a leading presence in the field of robotics, the Group takes another major step toward its strategic transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. To propel this transformation, the Group has invested substantially in the development of future technologies, including autonomous driving, artificial intelligence (AI), smart factories and robots.
In the field of robotics, the Group aims to develop advanced technologies that enhance people's lives and promote safety, thereby realizing the progress for humanity.
The deal is also expected to allow the Group and Boston Dynamics to leverage each other’s respective strengths in manufacturing, logistics, construction and automation.
Together, the Group and Boston Dynamics will create a robotics value chain, from robot component manufacturing to smart logistics solutions. Additionally, the Group will support Boston Dynamics’ continued expansion of its product line and global sales and service footprint.
Boston Dynamics launched sales of its first commercial robot, Spot® in June of 2020 and now has hundreds of robots operating in a variety of industries, including power utilities, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, and mining. The company also recently unveiled Stretch™, its first commercial robot specifically designed for warehouse facilities and distribution centres.
The Group today also released a new video to reveal how it would further advance mobility for humanity incorporating Boston Dynamics’ expertise.