What can this human-like robot really do?
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You might know Atlas, the famous robot that does parkour and throws heavy objects in Boston Dynamics’ popular YouTube videos. I visited Boston Dynamics to challenge Atlas to a little friendly competition, to see what this robot can REALLY do. I wanted to answer a question I’ve had since I was a kid:

When are all the robots coming?

Like C-3PO! The Iron Giant! Sonny from “I, Robot”! Human-like machines that can help people do more than we can by ourselves. For most of my life, humanoid robots have seemed pretty far away. But recently? Not so much. Tesla with Optimus, Boston Dynamics with Atlas, NASA with Valkyrie, startups like Figure and many more are all making huge leaps in this field. In this video, we take you to the cutting edge of humanoid robots, to show you what they can actually do right now… and what you can expect in the robot future that’s coming.

Chapters:
00:00 What is a humanoid robot?
01:16 Is Boston Dynamics Atlas real?
02:31 What does Atlas look like?
03:11 How big are humanoid robots?
03:49 Why build humanoid robots?
04:31 Why doesn’t Atlas have a tail.. or wings?
05:57 Human v Robot: Round 1
06:46 How can Atlas backflip... but not sit?
08:00 Human v Robot: Round 2
09:17 How does a robot handle adversity?
10:05 How smart is Atlas?
11:05 How does Atlas throw a bag?
11:50 Can Atlas learn?
12:27 Does Atlas use AI?
13:54 What does a humanoid robot really understand?
14:41 What about robot soldiers?
15:45 Why are humanoid robots “huge if true”?
16:50 What about… robot dogs?

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Bio:
Cleo Abram is an Emmy-nominated independent video journalist. On her show, Huge If True, Cleo explores complex technology topics with rigor and optimism, helping her audience understand the world around them and see positive futures they can help build. Before going independent, Cleo was a video producer for Vox. She wrote and directed the Coding and Diamonds episodes of Vox’s Netflix show, Explained. She produced videos for Vox’s popular YouTube channel, was the host and senior producer of Vox’s first ever daily show, Answered, and was co-host and producer of Vox’s YouTube Originals show, Glad You Asked.

Additional reading and watching:
- Boston Dynamics Atlas Demo: https://youtu.be/rVlhMGQgDkY?si=NfkgZyEsjUmQnXCy
- Tesla Optimus Demo: https://youtu.be/D2vj0WcvH5c?si=ZtKMSRdpeJGTrNjO
- Atlas Dancing: https://youtu.be/fn3KWM1kuAw?si=e4kUSxatpOWqrbH3
- Atlas Parkour: https://youtu.be/tF4DML7FIWk?si=UGZBH3f0_-30UfC7
- Optimus Walking: https://youtu.be/XiQkeWOFwmk?si=uqZtT9qWwsC-Nr8c
- Inside the Lab: Taking Atlas From Sim to Scaffold: https://youtu.be/XPVC4IyRTG8?si=zzBBxu71dJkd1aWW
- Robot Soldier CGI FICTION by Corridor Crew: https://youtu.be/y3RIHnK0_NE?si=drfb1Om-JmA_4mPk
- Boston Dynamics Statement on Robot Weaponization: https://bostondynamics.com/news/general-purpose-robots-should-not-be-weaponized/

Vox: https://www.vox.com/authors/cleo-abram
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10108242/

Gear I use:
Camera: Sony A7SIII
Lens: Sony 16–35 mm F2.8 GM and 35mm prime
Audio: Sennheiser SK AVX
Music: Tom Fox and Musicbed

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—
Welcome to the joke down low:

How do you know you’re in love with a robot?
You feel a little spark.

Use the word “spark” in a comment to tell me you’re a real one who read to the end… :)