Boston Dynamics Unveils Electric Version of Atlas Humanoid Robot

Boston Dynamics has surprised customers by launching a new, electric version of its humanoid robot Atlas the day after retiring the hydraulic model.

In a blog post, the company said the robot’s latest iteration furthers its commitment to delivering “the most capable, useful mobile robots solving the toughest challenges in industry today.”

In an accompanying video, the new Atlas robot is shown folding over itself to stand up from a lying position before stepping toward the camera and rotating its head. The robot’s limbs, torso and head are all shown as capable of moving 360 degrees, giving it a wide range of motion.

The company said its electric version of Atlas is stronger, with a broader range of motion than previous generations, moving in ways that “exceed human capabilities”.

“We designed the electric version of Atlas to be stronger, more dexterous, and more agile,” the company blog post said. “Atlas may resemble a human form factor, but we are equipping the robot to move in the most efficient way possible to complete a task, rather than being constrained by a human range of motion.” 

Hyundai, which bought Boston Dynamics in 2021, said its team would work on the next generation of automotive manufacturing capabilities, which will serve as a testing ground for Atlas’ new capabilities. 

Related:Boston Dynamics Humanoid Robot Atlas Retires

The announcement comes less than a day after the company said it was retiring Atlas, with an accompanying ‘retirement video’

“For almost a decade, Atlas has sparked our imagination, inspired the next generations of roboticists and leaped over technical barriers in the field. Now it’s time for our hydraulic Atlas robot to kick back and relax,” the video was captioned.