Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and SpotMini Have New Features (Video)

I am a big fan of Boston Dynamics’ series of robots. I think they are the best out there. If you have been following them, you will know Atlas, the human-like robot that can do somersault, and SpotMini, the 4-legged robot that one day, might become a household pet.

Now, they are back with more tricks.

SpotMini

Previously, its movement is controlled by an operator. Now, it can now navigate to a set location using a map. While navigating, it can also avoid obstacles.

Atlas

In this video, Atlas is out in the wild, running on uneven terrain. And as a finale, it jumped over a log. Amazing.

Some might feel threatened by the advancement of these robots. I think that they are useful in situations where humans might not be able to access, like in disaster areas. In future, if they improve the functionalities of them (hand movement) and expand their knowledge with AI (check out Google Duplex), some rules might be needed to contain them as they will learn at super fast speed.

What is your take?