Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot goes electric

[highplainsdem]

https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/17/boston-dynamics-atlas-humanoid-robot-goes-electric/

Atlas lies motionless in a prone position atop interlocking gym mats. The only soundtrack is the whirring of an electric motor. It’s not quiet, exactly, but it’s nothing compared to the hydraulic jerks of its ancestors.

As the camera pans around the robot’s back, its legs bend at the knees. It’s a natural movement, at first, before crossing into an uncanny realm, like something out of a Sam Raimi movie. The robot, which appeared to be lying on its back, has effectively switched positions with this clever bit of leg rotation.

As Atlas fully stands, it does so with its back to the camera. Now the head spins around 180 degrees, before the torso follows suit. It stands for a moment, offering the camera its first clear view of its head — a ring light forming the perimeter of a perfectly round screen. Once again, the torso follows the head’s 180, as Atlas walks away from the camera and out of frame.

A day after retiring the hydraulic version of its humanoid robot, Boston Dynamics just announced that — like Bob Dylan before it — Atlas just went electric.

-snip-

[Think. Again.]

1. What exactly is the target market...

....for these glorified toys?

[Ocelot II]

2. Me. I want one.

Don't know what I'd do with it but it's cool, though kind of creepy.

[Think. Again.]

3. I'll stick with my pet rock.

[Hugin]

8. It could walk the robotic dog.

[Gaugamela]

5. The defense industry, I assume. Eventually policing.

Imagine a dozen of those breaking down your door at 4am.

DARPA’S GROUNDBREAKING “ACE” PROGRAM AND X-62A BECOMES FIRST AI-CONTROLLED JET TO DOGFIGHT AGAINST MANNED F-16 IN REAL-WORLD

In an unprecedented achievement, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, has announced that through its “ACE” program the X-62A “VISTA” has become the first autonomous fighter jet in the world to successfully engage in aerial dogfighting maneuvers against a manned F-16.

“The X-62A Team demonstrated that cutting-edge machine learning-based autonomy could be safely used to fly dynamic combat maneuvers,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in a video released by DARPA marking the achievement. “The team accomplished this while complying with American norms for safe and ethical use of autonomous technology.”

https://thedebrief.org/darpas-groundbreaking-ace-program-and-x-62a-becomes-first-ai-controlled-jet-to-dogfight-against-manned-f-16-in-real-world/

[Think. Again.]

10. I suspect there could probably be a better design...

...for those specialized purposes that human form though.

[Happy Hoosier]

6. Ultimately to do...

... work considered dangerous or too arduous for people.

For example, operating in environments not healthy for people. They will largely do rote work. So... think warehouses without the need for air conditioning, or even good lighting. That kind of thing. So... to save a buck.

[Think. Again.]

11. .

I suspect there could probably be a better design for those specialized purposes that human form though.

[getagrip_already]

9. Sex work, military, policing, security, bullies.....

Pretty much anything you'd pay people to do today that's either unsavory, unethical, or dangerous.

[Think. Again.]

12. .

I suspect there could probably be a better designs for those specialized purposes that human form though.

[getagrip_already]

13. Probably, but these are concept designs

I don't think they are meant to be useful beyond being lab rats.

[Think. Again.]

14. Yeah, that's what I was getting at, no target market..

...just glorified toys.

[BradBo]

4. The Talos Principle come to life.

[dweller]

7. But

Can they dance ?

https://m.

&pp=ygUlQm9zdG9uIGFjb3VzdGljcyByb2JvdCBkbyB5b3UgbG92ZSBtZQ%3D%3D



✌🏻

[patphil]

15. That's a pretty cool looking robot.

It appears to be on the verge of being able to do meaningful work.
Add AI, and you've got "I Robot"; or even, "Just what do you think you're doing Dave?"

[AllaN01Bear]

16. woo woo woo woo woo woo, by your command, what could go wrong go wrong go wrong. no darvos don give them

automaic controll please noooooo!