Boston Dynamics robot helps with construction in new video trends now
If you're a construction worker, Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot could soon be coming for your job.
New footage from the Massachusetts firm shows Atlas, its scary six-foot-tall bipedal humanoid bot, helping out with construction tasks.
Atlas was already able to run and jump, but the footage shows it can now also grip objects, making it an ideal companion on the building site.
In the new clip Atlas can be seen laying wood over scaffolding, holding and carrying a tool bag and performing an extravagant mid-air flip.
New footage from Boston Dynamics shows Atlas, its scary six-foot-tall bipedal humanoid robot, helping out with construction work
Boston Dynamics, which is based in Waltham, Massachusetts, said: 'It's time for Atlas to pick up a new set of skills and get hands on.
'In this video, the humanoid robot manipulates the world around it – Atlas interacts with objects and modifies the course to reach its goal, pushing the limits of locomotion, sensing, and athleticism.'
One viewer commented on the YouTube video: 'The way the robot walks makes it look super excited, so cute!!'
Another said: 'Honestly it is a bit weird, but awesome, to watch a robot move around so fluidly.'
The robot's new 'hands' consist of just two fingers – one fixed into place and the other adjustable, but the new footage shows this is enough to keep a firm grip on objects.
The clip shows it assisting a human construction worker at the top of a set of scaffolding in an indoor setting.
The human worker says 'I forgot my tools again!' and Atlas assists by building a makeshift bridge with a piece of wood before picking up the tool bag.
Atlas then crosses the bridge with the bag before throwing it to him and performing an 'inverted 540-degree, multi-axis flip' back onto the floor.
Developing humanoids with physical abilities that match our own has been an ongoing challenge, but now it seems Atlas is surpassing the physical abilities of the average human.
Atlas was already able to run and jump, but the footage shows it is also able to grip objects, making it an ideal companion for physical tasks
Atlas performs a mid-air flip before a near perfect landing at the end of the new video - surpassing the physical abilities of the average human
Atlas is not for sale, but rather it's a 'research platform designed to push the limits of whole-body mobility', the company claims.
The bot's capabilities have gradually been expanded since it was first unveiled, back in July 2013.
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