It’s a little bit terrifying – not something you’d necessarily want to see if you were out for a casual run in the park yourself. The 1.5-meter-tall robot gets going at a pretty good clip, and it runs smoothly, not clunkily or lumbering like an old-school movie robot. If it was coming after you, you’d be right to be very concerned indeed. Its only weak point does seem to be obstacles – it can jump over logs, but it has to stop, gather itself, and spring with both legs, slowing it down enough for its prey to possibly make an escape. So remember that – if Atlas is after you any time in the near future, head for terrain littered with obstacles. You may have a chance.
“It can murder hundreds of people for money,” one commenter declared.
“Where is the running away crowd?” another demanded.
(If you want some entertainment, read all of the comments – from claims of the Second Coming to “Hillary should have won,” they’re pretty amusing.)
Fears of a robot apocalypse aside, Atlas is a remarkable example of where technology has gotten us, and how 3D printing has played a role in transforming robots from bulky, clunky, heavy beasts into streamlined, lightweight, agile killing machines, erm, creations that can run and jump as well as or better than some humans. Atlas is still a work in progress, which is both exciting and terrifying, as are Boston Dynamics’ animal robots (that’s right, Atlas has a dog… which served as inspiration for a recent episode of Black Mirror, but a dog!). It may not be long until we have helpful robot housekeepers…or pitiless overlords. Only time will tell.
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[Images: Boston Dynamics]