>> Atlas/Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics presented the fully electric robot Atlas. Shortly before that, the company announced the discontinuation of the hydraulic humanoid robot.
Boston Dynamics introduced an all-electric android for commercial use. According to the company's statement, it is designed for real production use.
The company will focus entirely on the electric version and will discontinue the Atlas with a hydraulic drive. The transition to the new model is based on Boston Dynamics' partnership with Hyundai.
In addition to investing in us, the Hyundai team is building the next generation of automotive manufacturing facilities. This will serve as an excellent testing ground for new Atlas applications. In the coming months and years, we're excited to demonstrate what the world's most mobile humanoid robot is capable of – in the lab, in the factory and in our lives, says the press release.
The company said the electric model will surpass the capabilities of the hydraulic ones androids.
The electric version will be stronger, with a wider range of motion than any of our previous generations. The hydraulic Atlas of the latest generation has learned to lift and maneuver a wide variety of heavy objects of irregular shape. We will continue to develop the existing movements and explore several new options for grabs and manipulations, the developers write.
In the press release, the company mentioned the release of Orbit software – a centralized platform for managing the entire fleet of robots. Currently available for Spot robots, Stretch and Atlas models also integrate with this enterprise solution. With the help of specialists in the field of machine learning, the team plans to develop its own AI models.
The new Atlas is a commercial project, but the company has not disclosed all the characteristics and the price yet. Trial operation of humanoids will begin at the plant of the Hyundai automaker, which bought a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics in 2021, the value of the deal was $1.1 billion.
In addition to Atlas, the company also has other models – Spot and Stretch. They have been equipped with new artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, such as reinforcement learning and computer vision, “so they can work effectively and adapt to complex real-world situations,” the blog says.