Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

"If you pause the clip here, you can see the exact moment where the robot feels betrayal." Boston Dynamics/YouTube
so mean

Watch Google's robot be bullied and terrorised by its creators

Smacking boxes out of its hands, and pushing it face-first onto the ground are par for the course when testing a robot.

EVER SINCE ROBOTICS company Boston Dynamics was acquired by Google back in 2013, it has been releasing numerous videos showing off its developments. Ranging from dog-like robots or humanoid robots taking a stroll through the woods, its progress has been gradual but significant.

Its latest update shows off Atlas, its next generation robot, which is the closest it’s come to a robot we recognise in fiction.

Atlus is 5’9″ tall and weighs 81kg, smaller and lighter compared to its predecessor which was six feet tall and weighed 150kg.

Atlas gif 1 Boston Dynamics / YouTube Boston Dynamics / YouTube / YouTube

The robot is designed to function both outdoors and inside buildings and uses sensors in its body and legs for balance.

To help it make its way around the world, it uses LIDAR (a remote sensing method uses light in the form of a laser to measure distance) and stereo sensors located in its head to navigate and avoid obstacles.

As well as walking through the woods and buildings, it’s able to pick up boxes and stack shelves. More importantly, it’s not tethered to a power source like previous versions of Atlas.

atlas gif 3 Boston Dynamics / YouTube Boston Dynamics / YouTube / YouTube

Yet the team behind it are still putting the robot through its paces by knocking boxes out of its hands and pushing it away.

atlas gif 2 Boston Dynamics / YouTube Boston Dynamics / YouTube / YouTube

As well as just pushing it over so it falls face first onto the ground.

Atlas gif 4 Boston Dynamics / YouTube Boston Dynamics / YouTube / YouTube

The future is going to be great, right?

BostonDynamics / YouTube

Read: Fact and fiction: Is a scenario like The Terminator really the future? >

Read: This smartphone company says it can charge a phone fully in 15 minutes >

Your Voice
Readers Comments
49
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.