Terrifyingly lifelike six-foot humanoid robot tests skills
Google-owned company Boston Hydraulics shows off 'Atlas'
Boston Dynamics, the robot company owned by Google, has released footage of Atlas, its six-foot humanoid robot stomping through woodland.
Like a scene from a sci-fi movie, Atlas is shown making its mechanical way through nature in footage featured in a YouTube video.
Unlike famous movie robots such as C-3PO, Atlas is shown connected to a power tether during its walk in the woods, although Boston Dynamics says that it is working on a untethered version of the bot.
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One of a number of innovative robots created by Boston Dynamics, Atlas has been designed to walk bipedally, leaving his upper limbs free to lift, carry and manipulate objects. “In extremely challenging terrain, Atlas is strong and coordinated enough to climb using hands and feet, to pick its way through congested spaces,” explains Boston Dynamics, on its website.
Outdoor testing plays a key role in the robot’s development, hence its stroll in the woods.
This is not the first time that Atlas has generated buzz. The robot grabbed plenty of attention thanks to its strong performance at the DARPA robotics challenge earlier this year.
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