If you dread having to vacuum — who doesn't? — you may want to consider investing in a robot model to do it for you. While many options come with a high price tag, the self-emptying Shark RV1001AE IQ Robot is currently half off, down from $600 to $300. The steep price drop makes a big difference if you've been on the fence about investing in a robovac.
Here's what you need to know if you're considering taking the plunge. The vacuum works with the Shark app or through your Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. You can schedule cleanings or tell the Shark IQ Robot which areas to clean in the moment. It maps each room while moving through your home to give you the option to select specific spaces to be vacuumed.
The self-cleaning vacuum goes row by row in each room, ensuring it hits every spot. It's equipped to handle hair (human or pet) without it getting wrapped around the suction, and works on carpets or floors. It also has a self-emptying base that holds 45 days of dirt and whatever else it cleans up.
Once done cleaning, the vacuum brings itself back to its dock and starts recharging. All you need to do is put your feet up when it comes nearby and let it do its work.
If you're looking for something with a longer capacity, the Shark AV2511AE AI Ultra Robot Vacuum holds up to 60 days worth of debris. It's currently discounted 17 percent, from $600 to $500. While many previous Shark robot vacuum sales have lasted only a day, it's not clear how long these discounts will be available.
If you dread having to vacuum — who doesn't? — you may want to consider investing in a robot model to do it for you. While many options come with a high price tag, the self-emptying Shark RV1001AE IQ Robot is currently half off, down from $600 to $300. The steep price drop makes a big difference if you've been on the fence about investing in a robovac.
Here's what you need to know if you're considering taking the plunge. The vacuum works with the Shark app or through your Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. You can schedule cleanings or tell the Shark IQ Robot which areas to clean in the moment. It maps each room while moving through your home to give you the option to select specific spaces to be vacuumed.
The self-cleaning vacuum goes row by row in each room, ensuring it hits every spot. It's equipped to handle hair (human or pet) without it getting wrapped around the suction, and works on carpets or floors. It also has a self-emptying base that holds 45 days of dirt and whatever else it cleans up.
Once done cleaning, the vacuum brings itself back to its dock and starts recharging. All you need to do is put your feet up when it comes nearby and let it do its work.
If you're looking for something with a longer capacity, the Shark AV2511AE AI Ultra Robot Vacuum holds up to 60 days worth of debris. It's currently discounted 17 percent, from $600 to $500. While many previous Shark robot vacuum sales have lasted only a day, it's not clear how long these discounts will be available.
Our bodies are built differently and adjust in different ways to the same environment. Some like it cold, while others prefer a toasty space. There are also people whose body temperatures adjust more quickly, causing them to get cold or hot faster than others. The problem with air conditioners and heaters is that they are all-or-nothing solutions, adjusting the room to a temperature that may not be comfortable for everyone in the same space. The ideal but impractical solution would be to give each one their own personal air conditioner, but this smart home robot concept tries to offer a more practical answer that still manages to deliver a personalized cold or warm breeze to the right person that needs it.
This robot air conditioner combines several technologies and concepts that are already present in our homes today. Those with smart appliances may already have plenty of sensors detecting the environment they’re in, so it might not be too much of a stretch to have a robot with a thermal camera rolling about, similar to a robot vacuum cleaner. We also have plenty of portable air coolers, warmers, and scent diffusers these days, so cobbling them together into a single appliance isn’t exactly a pipe dream, either.
The idea behind the design, however, is a little bit more nuanced. Body temperature can greatly affect one’s moods and emotions, and since different bodies have different temperature needs even if they’re in the same room, the robot can navigate to the right person or group and let free a gust of cold or hot air, depending on what they need to get them into a state of equilibrium. The robot can also release fragrances across the room, which is a more effective way of diffusing scents rather than relying on natural airflow.
The design of the robot itself is quite peculiar, looking almost like a UFO that has been grounded. The base is a disc with a low dome top, and it contains wheels for movement and an air purifier for sucking in dirty room air to be released by the robot later. The “top” part is a sphere that can roll in place to direct the air and scents at an angle. It also contains thermal sensors and a screen that displays the ambient temperature. Concentric circles glow in red or cyan to indicate whether it’s releasing hot or cold air, respectively.
This kind of rolling air conditioner robot is admittedly a more feasible design compared to a drone that flies around the house. There is, however, also room for some more frivolous future features, such as a magnetic levitation mechanism similar to some wireless speakers in the market today. Of course, that doesn’t mean it would be a practical addition, especially if it gets in the way of functionality, but it’s still an interesting option to keep in mind when the technology reaches that point.
Our bodies are built differently and adjust in different ways to the same environment. Some like it cold, while others prefer a toasty space. There are also people whose body temperatures adjust more quickly, causing them to get cold or hot faster than others. The problem with air conditioners and heaters is that they are all-or-nothing solutions, adjusting the room to a temperature that may not be comfortable for everyone in the same space. The ideal but impractical solution would be to give each one their own personal air conditioner, but this smart home robot concept tries to offer a more practical answer that still manages to deliver a personalized cold or warm breeze to the right person that needs it.
This robot air conditioner combines several technologies and concepts that are already present in our homes today. Those with smart appliances may already have plenty of sensors detecting the environment they’re in, so it might not be too much of a stretch to have a robot with a thermal camera rolling about, similar to a robot vacuum cleaner. We also have plenty of portable air coolers, warmers, and scent diffusers these days, so cobbling them together into a single appliance isn’t exactly a pipe dream, either.
The idea behind the design, however, is a little bit more nuanced. Body temperature can greatly affect one’s moods and emotions, and since different bodies have different temperature needs even if they’re in the same room, the robot can navigate to the right person or group and let free a gust of cold or hot air, depending on what they need to get them into a state of equilibrium. The robot can also release fragrances across the room, which is a more effective way of diffusing scents rather than relying on natural airflow.
The design of the robot itself is quite peculiar, looking almost like a UFO that has been grounded. The base is a disc with a low dome top, and it contains wheels for movement and an air purifier for sucking in dirty room air to be released by the robot later. The “top” part is a sphere that can roll in place to direct the air and scents at an angle. It also contains thermal sensors and a screen that displays the ambient temperature. Concentric circles glow in red or cyan to indicate whether it’s releasing hot or cold air, respectively.
This kind of rolling air conditioner robot is admittedly a more feasible design compared to a drone that flies around the house. There is, however, also room for some more frivolous future features, such as a magnetic levitation mechanism similar to some wireless speakers in the market today. Of course, that doesn’t mean it would be a practical addition, especially if it gets in the way of functionality, but it’s still an interesting option to keep in mind when the technology reaches that point.
Our homes are starting to be filled with technology, and not just from the computers and smartphones that we use day in and day out. But despite all the advancements in software, AI, and human-computer interaction, these technologies still feel distant and almost impersonal. Even those “personal” AI assistants are nothing more than disembodied voices that can hear us and not much else. These devices and services do make life convenient, but they don’t always help us with the other important things in life, like connecting with or checking up with another, especially when we’re not at home. The average human spends 26 years of their life sleeping and 30 years of their life working. That leaves just 1~2 hours in a day to truly connect with family, elders, or pets if we’re lucky. With all that time apart and no one there to supervise, there can be a lot of concern about the health and safety of our loved ones. This is why Enabot created the EBO X, your family’s protector, companion, and playmate. Smart home security cameras just don’t cut it, especially because they lack that “human touch,” and that is the kind of connection that this adorable moving homebot is trying to make while also making sure that your family and house are safe.
Smart Mapping – Provides EBO X with autonomous & accurate movement ability. Upon first use, EBO X will travel through your house using V-SLAM technology. This will allow EBO X to travel anywhere in the house.
Self-balanced Two-wheeled Design – EBO X ensures flexible mobility and high-precision motion control. EBO X can move around your home with ease and turn 360 degrees smoothly.
4K Stabilized Camera – EBO X’s 4K camera is one-axis stabilized, and the vertical angle is adjustable within a range of 104 degrees. EBO X has an 8-megapixel ultra low-light sensor and provides the super large 106-degree FOV.
Smart Tracking – If your child says “EBOEBO , follow me!”, EBO X will follow him or her anywhere it can reach, just like a loyal companion.
Edge Detection & Obstacle Avoidance – With multiple built-in dToF and ALS sensors, EBO X will stop itself from crossing any edge and avoid obstacles.
EBO X is, first and foremost, a smart guardian for the home and the family. Thanks to its self-balanced two-wheeled design and especially its smart mapping capabilities, it can go reach almost any part of your house. Despite this, users can set up restricted areas to protect their privacy. Not only can it map the layout of your house using V-SLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), detecting edges and deftly avoiding obstacles, it can see clearly no matter the time of day or night with its stabilized 4K camera and 8MP ultra low-light sensor. It can even hear and turn towards the source of a sound, following not only your voice but also a potential accident.
Elderly Fall Alert – EBO X can be set to detect the fall-down of an elderly during auto-cruising. lf detected, it will send alerts through 3 optional ways to ask for help.
Crying & Call-for-help Alert – If your child is crying, EBO X will detect it and trigger an App call to you. Besides, EBO X will inform you through the App call if anyone at home is experiencing an emergency and calls for help.
Facial Recognition & Medication Reminder – At a scheduled time, EBO X can find the specific family member by facial recognition, and send the medication reminders in voice.
Unlike even the smartest home security systems, the EBO X robot is also your family’s protector. It can detect and report when someone, especially an elderly person, has fallen down and alert family or emergency services. It can do the same for someone crying for help, calling your attention through the app. It can also help prevent accidents in the first place by reminding family members to take their medication, even when no one else is around. It can use facial recognition to find your loved one around the house and give them a gentle nudge to take their meds.
The robot, however, does more than just secure your home and safeguard your family. It puts a face on these technologies, literally and figuratively. EBO X’s cute face will endear itself to members of your family, regardless of their ages. It can follow kids around, ensuring their safety while also keeping them entertained with sound effects and music through its premium Harman AudioEFX speaker. EBO X also uses Alexa Voice Control, so every convenience is just a voice command away. The robot can take pictures of the whole family, or it can even take low-angle photos of your furry family members. It can act as a two-way communication between those at home and those far away, bridging the distance in a far more interesting way than a simple call.
Enabot designed EBO X with privacy protection at the forefront of our minds, and Enabot truly focused on user privacy and made some improvements. For example, all the media files could be optionally stored only on the local SD card, and you can use the privacy switch in the App to remotely turn off the gimbal camera. You can also physically press the gimbal button on the camera, which can completely obscure the camera from the product structure. When EBO X detects that the gimbal is completely closed, it will stop video recording. Besides this, the circular 4-array microphone at the top can also be powered off at the hardware level to ensure that the camera and microphone are not being monitored or bugged.
Protector, companion, and playmate, the EBO X robot puts an emphasis on the “home” part of smart homes. Combining three devices in one, the agile smart guardian keeps your family safe, entertained, and comfortable, creating an environment that you can truly call home. All these for a sweet Super Early Bird price of $569, a large $430 discount off its $999 MSRP.
Agility Robotics announced an updated version today of its bipedal Digits warehouse robot. Designed to take on repetitive or injury-risking tasks, the new version adds a head (with LED animated eyes) and hands, and it can handle a wider variety of demanding workloads than its predecessor.
The new Digits robot can “reach higher, carry more, last longer, charge faster and convey intent” better than the previous model. In addition, it’s better at manipulating its surroundings, and it has keener perception and is better at human-robot interactions. The machine is 5’9” tall and weighs around 140 lbs, including newly designed “end effectors” (hands) that help it reach high or low spaces and pick up or place plastic totes or other objects found in shipping warehouses.
“Warehouse work includes many process-automated, repetitive tasks that all too often lead to injury and high turnover, leaving costly gaps in the workforce that snarl supply chains,” explains the company in a press release. “While automation can help fill those gaps, existing automation solutions are typically single purpose, meaning companies have to onboard and maintain dozens of different solutions for different tasks, or they require expensive customization to the workspace.” The idea is that a humanoid robot can best replicate the tasks typically assigned to humans.
Agility Robotics
Although automation can spare human workers from the most grueling activities, it isn’t always that tidy: Machines are as likely to erase human jobs altogether. Moreover, with wealth disparity already astronomically high, the robot arrives as the world’s largest corporations have been laying off thousands of employees; it’s hard not to view these machines with as much cynicism as awe.
Agility Robotics will perform fully autonomous live demos of Digits at ProMat Chicago this week (March 20th to 23rd). The company is also opening applications for spots in its Agility Partner Program (APP), which will be the only place to purchase them initially. Pricing has yet to be announced, and the first units are expected to ship to APP participants in early 2024. The company is aiming for 2025 for general availability.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-gen-digits-robot-gets-a-head-and-hands-120001329.html?src=rss
MIT engineers have designed a walking lunar robot cleverly inspired by the animal kingdom. The “mix-and-match” system is made of worm-like robotic limbs astronauts could configure into various “species” of robots resembling spiders, elephants, goats and oxen. The team won the Best Paper Award last week at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Aerospace Conference.
WORMS (Walking Oligomeric Robotic Mobility System) is one team’s vision of a future where astronauts living on a moon base delegate activities to robotic minions. However, to avoid “a zoo of machines” with various robots for every task imaginable, the modular WORMS would allow astronauts to swap out limbs, bases and appendages for the task at hand. For example, they could snap together a spider bot to crawl inside hazardous lava tubes to drill for frozen water or assemble an elephant-like pack robot to haul heavy equipment. They could even make a goat / ox combination to transport solar panels. And when they finish the task, they can disassemble it and return it to storage until it’s needed for something else.
The system includes a worm-like appendage, which can snap together with a chassis through a twist-and-lock mechanism. Wok-shaped “shoes” can then snap onto the appendage’s other end. Finally, a small tool allows astronauts to release the block’s spring-loaded pins when it’s time to disassemble. The team has already developed a six-legged prototype, about the size of a go-cart, using software that coordinates multiple worm limbs. They’ve successfully demonstrated assembly, disassembly and navigation in a recent field test.
“Astronauts could go into the shed, pick the WORMS they need, along with the right shoes, body, sensors and tools, and they could snap everything together, then disassemble it to make a new one,” said George Lordos, Ph.D. candidate and graduate instructor at MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. “The design is flexible, sustainable and cost-effective.”
MIT
The team spawned the idea in 2022 as their answer to NASA’s Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge, an annual competition for university students to conjure innovative ideas. In that year’s edition, NASA challenged students to develop robots to move across extreme terrain without wheels. The MIT team focused on a lunar robot that could navigate the moon’s South Pole, which some suspect could include frozen water — essential for astronauts’ long-term survival — but also complex terrain with thick dust, rocky slopes and lava tubes.
As the students brainstormed solutions, they drew inspiration from the animal kingdom. “As we were thinking of these animal inspirations, we realized that one of the simplest animals, the worm, makes similar movements as an arm, or a leg, or a backbone, or a tail,” says deputy team leader and AeroAstro graduate student Michael Brown. “And then the lightbulb went off: We could build all these animal-inspired robots using worm-like appendages.”
Although each WORMS appendage weighs about 20 pounds on Earth, they would be only about three pounds in the moon’s atmosphere, making it easy for astronauts to assemble, disassemble and reassemble them like a high-tech Lego set. The team is already working on a second-generation model with longer and slightly heavier appendages, with an eye on heavy-equipment hauling bots.
“There are many buzz words that are used to describe effective systems for future space exploration: modular, reconfigurable, adaptable, flexible, cross-cutting, et cetera,” said Kevin Kempton, an engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center and judge of the 2022 BIG Idea Challenge. “The MIT WORMS concept incorporates all these qualities and more.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mits-new-modular-lunar-robot-has-worms-for-arms-175146649.html?src=rss
I'm just so tired of all the poop. Now that I'm dealing with three cats, an 11-month old's diapers and potty time with my four-year old, I just needed some relief from mountains of excrement. Enter the Litter Robot 4, the latest iteration of Whisker's automated litter box (a product we initially covered in 2005!). It's a small, spaceship-looking device that automatically rotates after your cat does its business, separating waste into a storage bin and leaving the remaining clean litter behind. Instead of scooping a box daily (or several times a day for multi-cat households), you only need to yank out the Litter Robot's bin bag and replace it with a new liner once a week. Sounds like a dream, right?
Well, mostly. For one, it's an eye-watering $699, putting it out of reach for most cat owners. And like practically every "smart" device, I ran into issues while setting up the Litter Robot 4. After a few months of testing, I've encountered many quirks – sometimes it didn't sift properly, occasionally its cat detecting sensors went haywire, and it didn't really prevent litter from reaching my floors. Despite all of that, though, it still made my life easier. Thanks to the Litter Robot 4, I had to deal with animal poop just a bit less every day. I'll chalk that up as a win.
As a cat owner since 2009, I've always eyed self-cleaning litter boxes with envy. But almost every option seemed like a headache back then: Some required specialized litter, others were prone to jamming and failure. And even though the Litter Robot has been around for a while, I've always considered it too expensive to be practical. But now that my household has grown, thanks to that aforementioned poopy infant and a pair of adopted kittens, I was eager for some relief. (One of those kittens also grew into an enormous 18-pound beast – you can imagine what his litter box looks like.)
I know several people who loved the Litter Robot 3, and it was generally well-reviewed, despite being simultaneously bulky on the outside and a bit too small for cats on the inside. The Litter Robot 4 improves on its predecessor with a sleeker design (it's a bit less wide, so it should fit better in small rooms), as well as a larger opening for big cats. It's also Wi-Fi connected, which makes it easy for you to check on litter and waste levels with Whisker's app. Thanks to new weight sensors, you can track how often your cats are using the Robot, and the company is also planning to launch more individualized tracking later this year. In theory, that should let you know if one of your cats is using the litter box too often, or not enough.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Setting up the Litter Robot 4 was fairly easy – until I ran into some software issues. You just have to yank the 24-pound egg-like bot out of its box, dump some clumping litter into the main compartment, and throw an included bag in the waste bin. The device itself is made entirely out of plastic, making it fairly light and easier to maneuver. The inner portion where the litter sits is covered in a rubber-like material, which should make it fairly durable and easier to clean than hard plastic.
After plugging in and turning on the Litter Robot, though, I was faced with my worst fear with any new smart gadget: Pairing issues. Without being paired to the app, the Robot wouldn't self-clean at all. A few hours of frustration later, I learned that Whisker was having a system-wide issue and I had to wait a few days for the company to deliver a fix.
So it goes with smart devices, you might say. But it definitely felt silly (and a bit enraging) to be manually cleaning this $699 litter box. Without that initial connectivity, it was no better than the $20 litter tray my cats use upstairs. Once the app was set, the Robot ran through a cleaning cycle and evenly sifted the remaining litter. Upon seeing this new litter box move and make sounds (it's surprisingly quiet!), my three cats wouldn't go near it. At that point, it was just a $699 monument to pet excess.
A few days later, the bravest of the bunch — my 18-pound tuxedo cat named "Jiji" — finally jumped into the Litter Robot to explore. After several hops in and out, he deemed it safe and left his first offering, which was promptly cycled into the waste bin. The Litter Robot seemed pleased. Within a week, all of my cats were onboard. And around then, I noticed something strange: I couldn't smell any poop or pee! Sure, the Whisker app told me the waste bin was full, but you wouldn't know that while standing right in front of it. That's a good sign for anyone who wants to place the Litter Robot in a cramped living room.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
My honeymoon period ended when one of my cats left a streak of feces inside the Robot. No amount of sifting and cycling got rid of that. Eventually, I started to notice some strange behavior from the device (perhaps in protest to what that cat did). Sometimes its indicator lights would flash red — a sensor fault, according to the Whisker app. The only way to fix that was by turning the unit on and off. Occasionally, the Robot wouldn't fully clean itself after one of my cats used it. So I had to hit the cycle button up top to get it going.
Over the course of a week, I typically have to deal with three of four issues like this from the Litter Robot. Few of those involve touching actual poop, and it's far less than I'd be cleaning a normal litter box. Still, for $699, I wish it were more reliable. I wouldn't trust it to work for an entire week if my family went on vacation. Just don't lose your cat sitter's number.
Cleaning out the Litter Robot's waste bin is a cinch — just yank out the liner bag and replace it with another. While you could stick with Whisker's products, I haven't had any trouble using Glad's 13-gallon ForceFlex bags. The company also recommends wiping down the Litter Robot's internals once a month, as well as refreshing the litter with an entirely new batch. That process isn't tough, but I found it easiest to accomplish by dragging the device outside. And yes, it also means you'll need to get your hands dirty a bit. There's just no escaping the poop.
Whisker's mobile app does a great job of alerting me when the waste bin is full, or when litter is running low. And it may sound strange, but I genuinely appreciate seeing how often my cats use the box. It's particularly helpful if one cat is feeling sick – going to the Robot frequently could be a sign of illness. The app also keeps track of your cat's weight, which could help you avoid over or under-feeding. (And of course, a big weight drop could be another health concern.)
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
After a few months of testing, only two of my cats continue to use the Litter Robot 4. Still, they use it frequently enough to fill up its waste bin every week. (We also have two normal litter boxes around the house for the lone renegade.) My one major annoyance, aside from all of those random errors, is the Litter Robot's open design. I'm aware it's something cats prefer, but it also leads to litter being strewn around the floor. Unfortunately, Whisker's bundled gate and front step for the Litter Robot don't really help much. If you do end up getting this thing, I'd suggest adding a litter mat up front, and be prepared to vacuum or sweep every few days.
The Litter Robot 4 is an extravagance, but it's one that tired cat owners may find useful. Just don't expect any miracles. You'll still need to watch out for errors, do some manual scrubbing and sweep up stray litter. The perfect self-cleaning litter box isn't here yet, but the Litter Robot 4 is as close as you'll get.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/litter-robot-4-review-great-imperfect-self-cleaning-litter-box-140022763.html?src=rss
Robot vacuums are one of the few sci-fi predictions that more or less delivered — there actually are autonomous machines that can help keep your home clean. We've tested over a dozen robot vacs, and right now our top recommendation for a budget dirt sucker, iRobot's Roomba 694, is $95 off both at Amazon and through iRobot's site. Usually $275, the 694 is just $179 right now, which matches the all time low it dropped to a few times previously. The deal is part of a wider robot vacuum sale with discounts ranging up to $300, depending on which model you pick. If you've been thinking of adding one of these smart devices to your life, this might be a good time to snap one up.
In our tests, the 694 proved itself by being both a powerful cleaner and offering an app that's easy to use — even for robot vacuum newbies. You can set schedules to have the bot clean on regular intervals and it can handle both tiled or carpeted surfaces. We found that it roved around cleaning for around 45 minutes before returning itself to the dock for a recharge, which was plenty of time to maintain an apartment, but may need to a pit stop before it can cover a larger house. Unless it tries to suck up an errant cord, you'll likely only need to interact with it to empty the dirt collection tray. That's something you may need to do every couple days or more often, depending on whether or not you have pets or a lot of tracked-in dirt.
If you'd rather not empty your vac quite so often, you can pick up one that empties itself, like the Roomba s9+. We named this the best premium robot vacuum in our guide and were impressed with both its suction power and navigation abilities. It usually comes with a steep $999 price tag but the sale knocks $200 off the list price, which makes it a little more affordable.
For homes with smooth surfaces that could use a wipe down, a hybrid model could be what you're looking for. The Roomba Combo j7+ combines mop and vacuum functions and is $250 off during the sale, bringing the $1,099 unit down to $849. One of our editors used the j7+ in his home for several weeks, and while the initial mapping runs were a bit of a hassle and the noise of the unit emptying into the clean base was loud, he was impressed with the bot's learning capabilities and the fact that it made a noticeable difference in the general cleanliness of his floors.
Maybe it comes from watching all these sci-fi series and movies but I still have this fear that years or decades into the future, our robot overlords will rebel and make us humans their slaves. Seeing robots that use artificial intelligence and basically behave like people do not alleviate that fear. Of course that’s just the crazy in me and I know that the robotics industry is doing a lot of interesting and helpful things. We’ll see more advanced prototypes and eventually products that will hopefully not overthrow the human race.
Designer: Boston Dynamics
The Atlas robot was unveiled back in 2021, showing off its parkour and acrobatic moves which are impressive for a robot. Boston Dynamics posted a new video of the more advanced version of this robot and this time it is able to carry around things which will make it more useful for things like factories, construction, even airline baggage handling. Its “hands” are able to pick up objects and then toss them to wherever you program it. It is designed for “heavy lifting tasks” so it will be useful mostly for logistics.
The “hands” of the Atlas robot are actually made up of one fixed finger and a moving finger that are more like a gripper. The video shows the robot throwing a bag of tools to its owner but the lead up to that final action is pretty impressive. It’s able to pick up a plank of wood to help it go up to the scaffolding where he eventually throws up the forgotten bag. And of course, just to show off, it does a few more parkour moves after delivering the package.
The robot is still in the prototype stage and is mainly used for research by Boston Dynamics. But from what we’ve seen in the videos so far, this is very promising for industries that involve tasks like lifting heavy equipment. Well, as long as they do not eventually rise up against its owners, this is something that we can look forward to when it becomes available for businesses and commercial use.
