Humanoid robots are improving their ability to fall gracefully

Boston Dynamics, the renowned robotics company, made waves in the industry last week with two major announcements that captivated audiences worldwide. The first announcement was the introduction of the electric Atlas, a groundbreaking development that has already garnered millions of views on social media.

However, the second announcement tugged at the heartstrings of the robotics community as Boston Dynamics bid farewell to the original hydraulic Atlas, a robot that had been a pioneer in the field for a decade. The company released a video showcasing the journey of the older Atlas, from its inception as a DARPA research project to its impressive capabilities as a bipedal robot.

The video, titled “Farewell to Atlas,” not only celebrated the robot’s achievements but also highlighted the challenges and failures it faced along the way. This transparency in showcasing the robot’s journey, including its falls and mishaps, is a refreshing approach in the robotics world, where success stories often overshadow the hard work and dedication that goes into creating these machines.

Boston Dynamics’ commitment to learning from failures and improving their robots is evident in their approach to falling. The company’s CTO, Pras Velagapudi, emphasized the importance of robots being able to recover from falls in real-world scenarios, as it is a crucial aspect of their development and progress.

With a focus on resilience and adaptability, Boston Dynamics continues to push the boundaries of robotics technology, setting a new standard for bipedal robots and showcasing the importance of learning from failures in the pursuit of innovation. As the company’s CEO, Robert Playter, aptly puts it, “Every time Digit falls, we learn something new. When it comes to bipedal robotics, falling is a wonderful teacher.”