The retirement of Boston Dynamics' iconic robot Atlas has sparked heated discussions in the industry
Boston Dynamics has officially announced that it will end the development and production of its iconic humanoid robot, Atlas. This decision has sparked widespread attention and heated discussions in the industry.
Since its debut in 2013, the Atlas robot has won countless fans around the world for its excellent maneuverability and balance. It is capable of walking, jumping, backflipping, and even quickly getting back up after a fall. It all starts with the advanced hydraulic drive system used in the Atlas.
Just recently released in a farewell video, we saw Atlas squirting hydraulic fluid from his knees during a performance, seemingly heralding the end of this technology. Boston Dynamics explained that after more than a decade of development, humanoid robotics has come a long way, and the hydraulic system is gradually being replaced by an electric system, so it decided to retire the Atlas.
This decision has sparked heated discussions in the industry. Proponents argue that electric robots do have higher energy efficiency and controllability, which is in line with future development trends. But there are also those who lament this, arguing that Atlas represents the end of an era.
The retirement of the Atlas marks a new technological route for Boston Dynamics. The company is working on a new electric humanoid robot, which is expected to be available soon. This may open a new chapter in the development of humanoid robots.
Breakthrough in humanoid robot technology and a new pattern in the industry
The development of humanoid robots is inseparable from breakthroughs in three key technologies: morphological structure, motion control and intelligent interaction. In recent years, great progress has been made in these fields, which has accelerated the industrialization process of humanoid robots.
In terms of morphological structure, the researchers borrowed from the design of human bones and joints, and used various new materials and sensors to give the robot better strength, flexibility and biomimetic ability. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot, for example, has more than 40 degrees of freedom joints capable of complex movements.
Motion control is a core competency of humanoid robots. Traditional industrial robots mostly repeat a single action in a fixed environment, while humanoid robots need to walk, jump, and balance freely in a dynamic and complex environment. This requires advanced perception, planning, and control algorithms for robots.
For example, Atlas reconstructs the environment in 3D through a multimodal visual perception system, and uses the MPC (Model Predictive Control algorithm) to plan and optimize the trajectory in real time, thus demonstrating human-like movement capabilities.
Intelligent interaction is the key to distinguishing humanoid robots from ordinary robots. Through technologies such as speech recognition, computer vision, and natural language processing, humanoid robots are able to communicate and collaborate naturally with humans. Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot can handle tasks such as handling and sorting based on voice commands.
In addition to technological breakthroughs, the rapid development of artificial intelligence has also injected new impetus into the humanoid robot industry. Generative large models give robots stronger cognitive reasoning and decision-making capabilities, which is expected to promote humanoid robots to move towards general intelligence.
In this context, the global humanoid robot industry pattern is being reshaped. The U.S. still maintains a leading position in technology, with products from Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics and others demonstrating excellent performance. Tesla's Optimus robot has brought humanoid robots into the public eye.
As a traditional power of industrial robots, Japan has also actively deployed in the field of humanoid robots by companies such as Honda and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Their products pay more attention to form design and service application scenarios.
China, on the other hand, is rapidly narrowing the gap with developed countries through policy support and enterprise innovation. The products of UBTECH, Unitree Technology and other companies have initially achieved commercial application, while technology giants such as Xiaomi and Xiaopeng have also joined the research and development army of humanoid robots.
The humanoid robot industry is emerging around the world, and the battle of multiple technical forces will determine the future of this emerging field. It is believed that in the near future, humanoid robots will be widely used in industrial manufacturing, service industry and other fields, and become a new driving force to promote the development of social productivity.
The industrialization process of humanoid robots has been accelerated, and the application prospects are broad
With the breakthrough of core technology and the maturity of the industrial ecology, humanoid robots are accelerating towards industrial application. They will play a role in many fields such as manufacturing, services, and special operations.
In the manufacturing sector, humanoid robots are expected to replace humans in some dangerous, repetitive, and high-intensity tasks. They can not only complete assembly and handling operations in the workshop, but also carry out tasks such as inspection and maintenance outdoors.
In the case of General Motors, they are deploying humanoid robots on the production line to complete some of the processes that need to be climbed and balanced. Compared with industrial robotic arms, humanoid robots are more flexible and can adapt to more complex environments.
In the service sector, humanoid robots are expected to serve as receptionists, shopping guides, caregivers and other roles to assist human workers in carrying out various services. Thanks to their natural language interaction capabilities, they are able to have friendly and natural conversations with customers and provide a personalized service experience.
Take Japan's SoftBank's Pepper robot, for example, which has been put into use in many banks, shopping malls, and hospitals, serving as a reception and guide. Humanoid robots may also enter the home as domestic helpers and companion robots.
In the field of special operations, humanoid robots can replace humans to perform some high-risk tasks. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot has demonstrated its ability to extinguish fires and lift heavy loads in a simulated environment. They may also be used in rescue, EOD, exploration, and more.
The development of humanoid robots also faces many challenges, such as high cost, reliability needs to be improved, and lack of unified standards. However, with the further maturity of technology and large-scale production, these problems will be gradually solved.
The ethical and legal issues of humanoid robots also need to be addressed. Do they threaten human employment, how to ensure their operation safely, and how to avoid possible abuse? These require the participation and discussion of governments, enterprises and all sectors of society.
Humanoid robots will undoubtedly become an important direction for the development of science and technology in the future. They will not only increase production efficiency, but will also create more new jobs for humanity. It is believed that in the near future, humanoid robots will be ubiquitous and become reliable assistants and companions for humans.