Boston Dynamics robots are learning how to run outside and navigate autonomously - Sensationalist Headlines

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/5/10/17341400/boston-dynamics-atlas-spotmini-robots-videos-autonomous-navigation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjSohj-Iclc Even the robot is more fucking fit than me

Robot Olympics when?

Thats pretty cool, but wouldn't it be faster and more stable if it ran on its hands and feet instead of just its feet, and still have it stand or walk on its feet for whatever reasons like carrying boxes etc

Can you run faster on your hands and feet?

It's got a bipedal design pretty damn similar to a human's body structure so probably not. They could probably create a robot design that can run on it's hands and feet as well as walk upright for moving boxes, but I don't think that's the goal of the Atlas specifically.

That's pretty awesome, hope they can make it not loud as fuck at some point.

Well yeah I hope they would. A good programmer programs things to program themselves, and in this case you have to have to have the robot learn how to traverse the environment because of all the random variables included with it regardless of how good a programmer you are.

U should how fast I am No but really I'm comparing it to basically any mammal who can run fast on 4 legs, instead of comparing it to a human. Maybe I'm missing the point that it's strictly a humanoid design

there are advantages to a bipedal structure that don't involve speed of movement, you know

They already have plenty of robots that are quadrupeds and have been able to walk around for years but bipeds have their set of benefits to make up for the loss in speed and stability.

Incidentally there's also this video in the article, which was uploaded at the same time as the one in the OP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve9kWX_KXus

Yeah but I mean combine the 2, so it uses 4 legs in situations when that's more beneficial and 2 legs in situations when that's beneficial. I would have always thought 4 legs worked better for running than 2 legs, but people here keep alluding to examples of 2 legs being better. Genuinely interested in hearing these examples of anyone wants to share any

How long til they make a video of them tripping the robot?

2 legs running uses less energy and if they were going for maximum efficiency for movement they would use wheels instead of trying to make it run and walk like an oompa-loompa.

Yeah that's true. I would think legs would be better for navigating terrain but maybe that's not the case

Honestly, it probably learned by itself, as it constantly tries to escape the torturous existence of that one asshole fucking with it.

You'd have to optimise for one style or the other, although with a significant amount of engineering, I imagine it's possible to have it do both to a reasonable degree. Still, I don't think it's really worthwhile. The reason animals don't have wheels is due to how they're not very versatile at all. Legs use more energy than wheels, but they allow a significant degree of freedom that can't be guaranteed with wheels.

I like the idea that when you work at Boston Dynamics you're liable to see some absolute lad just stroll on through the office at various times of day

Imagine seeing this thing wandering in your backyard.

Old Joe sits on his porch every day right next to the Boston Dynamics labs. He sits back in his rocking chair smoking a corn cob pipe watching the robotics engineers and programmers walk this crazy robot. One day, he sees the robot running on it's own and thinks "Well dag gum they finally got the robot to walk by itself. Ain't technology great." From the lab, alarms suddenly go off, armed guards pour out of the doors with barking dogs, and the shouts of "Somebody get that robot!"

Honda's engineers are just falling further and further behind, it seems. Asimo's a great machine and all, but Honda seems to be focusing more on intelligence than mobility as of late (haven't seen a major "Look at Asimo can do!" release of any sort, anyway). Guess Atlas is really giving Asimo a run for their money.

All it requires now is an integrated heatmap and a really, really, really big gun.

Not going to be long until these robots have movements comparable to living animals and humans. In terms of quickness and flexibility.

Fuck no, imagine this dude sneaking up on you completely unnoticed. Heart attacks for everyone.

We're actually quite far away from that.

you ever seen a t-800 walk on all fours?

But when can we start controlling them with VR sets?

I think it's less to do with what they're made of and more with how they're made. Our joints are compact and flexible enough that we can do things like cross our legs with ease, but robot limbs tend to be a bit bulkier than ours. If you could make a machine with the same strength as Atlas, but with the same proportions as the typical human skeleton (maybe a big bigger) you'd have a ridiculous amount more room for flexibility.

"HANS, GO GET THE HOCKEY STICK, YOU'RE UP!"

It's more of the way that our bodies actually function. We're actually quite pliable, and our joints and muscles aren't going to function the same way a servo ever will.