Atlas is coming and he's going to KILL US ALL!
Or maybe he's just gonna clear bombs and stuff.
Hey meatbags - Trace here comin' to you from DNews -- The field of robotics is both fascinating
and frightening.
We're advancing so fast, and yet... not... really...
DARPA and Boston Dynamics have struck fear into the hearts of gods and men numerous times
with robots like Big Dog and Petman -- but now, this one takes the frickin' cake.
Atlas is a six foot two inch, 330 pound humanoid robot; possibly the most advanced humanoid
robot ever built.
Are you freaked out?
Because we looked at this in our news meeting and started talking in all caps.
And yet....
On the cool side: Atlas has an on-board, real-time control computer, LIDAR -- which is similar
to the tech that helps self-driving cars see their surroundings -- stereo vision like a
human, and 28 hydraulic joints.
On the be-wary-because-it-could-kill-you-in-one-of-your-weak-little-meatbag-heartbeats side: Atlas has four hands.
Four.
So why spend all this time and money to build a humanoid robot?
Disaster response is the obvious first-step -- no pun intended -- with Atlas being able
to put a versatile humanoid robot into a situation that would kill a human, like the Fukushima
meltdown.
The upside of this technological terror, is at the moment Boston Dynamics and DARPA are
still creating its brain.
So, there's still the ability to keep it under control.
For now...
When it comes to robot advances, these guys are not the only company making such extravagant
robotics assertions.
If you follow the field, then you know of Honda's ASIMO.
They've been developing this little fella since the mid-80s.
Focusing on mimicking human strides.
Today, it can walk around pretty smoothly, recognize people in a room, and is beginning
to learn to respond to social input.
Importantly, it also carries its own power supply, which Boston Dynamic's Atlas has yet
to master.
Learning is the key word there,
in a demonstration last week, ASIMO was supposed to recognize raised hands and ask for questions,
but instead it got confused...
so maybe making a brain for Atlas is further in the future than we thought.
Currently, the SMARTEST robot on the planet, is debatable, but on IndieGogo -- a crowdfunding
site similar to Kickstarter -- I found a team of roboticists that want to create a robot
with the artificial intelligence of a three year old; figuring it would then have something
no AI has ever attained: common sense.
Though since it will be three...
I'd hope it doesn't just want to sit and eat chocolate frosted sugar bombs all day.
Robotics kits are a great way to teach kids about science and math in everyday life.
DARPA is keeping that in mind, and have released virtual version of Atlas that anyone can program
and play with.
That's pretty fantastic.
Does this robot make you excited for the future of robotics?
Or are you more...
wary...
What would YOU use it for if you had one?
Tell us your thoughts down below, and make sure you subscribe for more DNews!