Boston Dynamics has announced the retirement of its hydraulic Atlas robot and the introduction of a new fully electric Atlas robot designed for real-world applications. The electric Atlas will be stronger and have a broader range of motion than previous generations. The company plans to partner with customers, starting with automotive manufacturer Hyundai, to test and iterate Atlas applications over the next few years.
Boston Dynamics sees the humanoid form as a useful design for robots working in a world designed for people. While the electric Atlas may resemble a human form, it is designed to move in the most efficient way possible to complete tasks while exceeding the human range of motion. The electric Atlas builds on the commercial success of Boston Dynamic’s Spot and Stretch robots.
In addition to hardware advancements, Boston Dynamics has made significant progress in software development, equipping its robots with AI and machine learning tools for efficient operation and adaptation to complex real-world situations. The company also recently launched its Orbit software, which provides a centralized platform to manage robot fleets, site maps and digital transformation data.
