A big moment in the world of technology came when Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics unveiled its humanoid robot, Atlas, for the first time. Atlas’ arrival on stage at the CES Tech Showcase further intensified the race to create human-like robots, a field in which Tesla and other companies are also working.
The robot stood up on its own and started walking
During the event in Las Vegas, as soon as Atlas was called on stage, he got up from the ground and started walking without any hesitation. This human-sized robot with two arms and two legs walked around the stage for a while, waving to the audience, and turning its head as if a human was looking around. During the demo, an engineer was nearby controlling it remotely, although the company says that in actual use, the Atlas will be able to move on its own.
Atlas will be deployed in car factory by 2028
Boston Dynamics also revealed that a product version of the Atlas is already being developed, designed for tasks such as car assembly. According to the plan, this robot will be deployed at Hyundai’s electric vehicle factory in Savannah, Georgia by 2028, where it will help in the manufacturing process.
The company is known for its Spot robot
Boston Dynamics of Massachusetts has been working on robotic technology for several decades. The company is best known for its dog-like robot, Spot, which was its first commercial product. Hyundai’s event at CES also started with four Spot robots dancing together to K-pop music.
New partnership with Google DeepMind
At the event, Hyundai also announced a new partnership with Google’s AI unit, DeepMind. Under this partnership, DeepMind’s artificial intelligence technology will be used in Boston Dynamics’ robots. Interestingly, Google previously owned Boston Dynamics, which it bought in 2013 and later sold to SoftBank. Hyundai bought it from SoftBank in 2021.
Why are companies hesitant to give live demos?
Robot manufacturing companies usually avoid showing their humanoid robots at live events because even a small glitch can lead to criticism. This is the reason why most startups like to show their prototypes through edited videos on social media. However, the live demo of Atlas completed without any mistakes, leaving everyone impressed
A glimpse of the new Atlas model was also shown
At the end of the demo, Atlas dramatically introduced its new product version by gesturing with its hands. This model stood still on the stage and was blue in color, looking slightly different from the prototype.
AI boom is accelerating robotics
The rapid growth of commercial AI and new technological advancements have fueled large-scale investment in robotics. However, experts believe that it will still take time for robots capable of doing all the work like humans to become common in public places and homes.
How big a threat are they to human jobs?
Currently, humanoid robots do not have the intelligence and agility to pose a significant threat to human jobs on a large scale. However, as this technology improves, the debate over its impact on employment is sure to intensify. Interestingly, the Georgia plant where the Atlas will be tested was also the site of an immigration raid last year in which hundreds of workers were detained.
