Atlas robot's fully autonomous video is this Halloween's scariest video

For decades now, I've been trying to reassure group that nan coming robot gyration will not consequence successful occupation nonaccomplishment for america humans. It's a conception I firmly believed – aliases astatine slightest did until this morning.

Earlier this week, Boston Dynamics released a caller objection video of its caller Atlas humanoid robot (see below). Unveiled earlier this year, this Atlas is simply a wholesale redesign and extremist upgrade from its already awesome and Parkour-performing original Atlas. This caller robot looks a batch much for illustration us, though it tin move successful ways that nary of america can.

The latest video is successful immoderate ways unremarkable: Another humanoid robot performing drudgery tasks we'd alternatively not perform. In this case, Atlas is sorting integrative motor covers betwixt a supplier instrumentality pinch horizontal slots and thing called a "mobile sequencing dolly" pinch vertical slots. It does truthful successful nan drab environs of what appears to beryllium immoderate benignant of manufacturing facility, though it's astir apt conscionable a storage successful Boston Dynamic's improvement campus.

What's singular astir nan astir three-minute video is that Altas is doing it each autonomously. That's right, dissimilar nan remote-controlled Optimus robots Elon Musk and Tesla tried to pawn disconnected arsenic self-directed astatine his "We, Robot" event, location is, according to Boston Dynamics, nary 1 guiding Atlas' mobility aliases decisions.

In nan video, Atlas faces a cart afloat of integrative motor screen trays. The robot first reaches for one, placing its 2 'fingers' underneath nan cover, and past pulls it forward. Atlas past releases its grip and rotates its manus truthful that 1 'finger' is connected apical and nan different is connected nan bottom, grabs nan tray, and pulls it out.

Viewed from a distance, you'd beryllium forgiven for assuming you were watching a slow-moving quality worker. Of course, nan adjacent spot would belie that notion. Atlas appears to locomotion backward toward nan vertical group of tray holders but besides twists its assemblage astir arsenic it moves. As I said, it tin do immoderate things not imaginable pinch a quality body.

Before inserting nan tray into its caller holder, Atlas appears to analyse it. Later, we spot an inset video provender that shows america really Atlas's imagination strategy is assessing nan size and style of nan tray.

Atlas continues its work, crouching and bending down to drawback motor covers connected little shelves. It each goes smoothly, isolated from for 1 infinitesimal erstwhile a tray gets caught connected nan cloth separator of 1 shelf. Instead of pulling it backmost slowly, Atltas yanks it backmost earlier smoothly inserting nan part.

Like I said, not precisely compelling viewing isolated from erstwhile you see what this means. Robots are wide utilized successful manufacturing and warehouses but they're often not employed erstwhile good centrifugal controls are required and particularly not successful places that require on-the-fly decisions.

It's clear from this video, however, that we're connected nan way to wherever robots that look and activity for illustration america will soon guidelines alongside aliases switch mill workers. They'll do nan occupation arsenic good arsenic america but besides beryllium capable to locomotion backward while turning their caput astir 180 degrees.

Plus, pinch nan preamble of generative AI, robots for illustration Boston Dynamics Atlas will beryllium capable to study connected their work, respond erstwhile you inquire them questions astir accumulation levels, and moreover subordinate you for immoderate witty banter astatine lunchtime (they still won't eat but whitethorn plug successful for an hour).

So now I person to set what I show group astir robots: They won't return our jobs yet, but successful 10-20 years, you whitethorn beryllium looking for different statement of work.

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