All we know about Atlas Boston Dynamics, and its logistic robot Stretch
The YouTube video about “robots doing parkour” has been catching our attention for a while. These robots are prototypes from “Boston Dynamics”, widely known as “Atlas Boston Dynamics”. Even a few movies showing Atlas robot’s various activities, like jogging, jumping, and doing parkour and backflips, presented by “Boston Dynamics” might seem like clips from sci-fi movies. Experts say one of these “Boston Dynamics Humanoid robots” will be seen assisting human workers in various industries soon, maybe even in our “drawing” room ready to mingle with us. The latter may take a couple of years more, but scientists from “Boston Dynamics” have been preparing and improving silently the “Atlas robot” for the market as fast as they can.
What is the Atlas robot capable of?
Within a couple of years, in terms of “speed”, “mobility”, and “swiftness” the “Atlas”, humanoid of Boston dynamics, may have an edge over human beings.
If anyone laughs at the above statement, the following video clip is enough to stop the laughing.
Video credit: “Awesome Tech”
We can say the Atlas robot is the most “agile” robot that any company has developed so far. The following video presents what the atlas robot is capable of. From the above video clips, anyone gets startled seeing the way “Atlas” moves. The video starts with the incredible “somersault” scene as if the “atlas robot” is warming up before a match.
After that, it jogs, runs, and jumps not only on smooth ground but even on a grassy slope and uneven field seems to be an obstacle at all. The atlas robot easily jumps over any fallen log or any such obstacle like an experienced “athlete” does.
Also, even an expert “Martial Arts” master would have been surprised to see Atlas’s flying kick. Just the first 34 seconds of the video reveal all these incredible maneuvers, movement, and balance. Indeed it reminds all of us of another “terminator” movie scene.
Next, we can see that the “atlas robot” is getting out to the snow-covered field outside, opening the door easily like a human being. The next minute of the video reveals how easily Atlas walks on the unevenly snow-covered field. Even it easily walks on the slope.
Well, the next minute of the video clippings is about how atlas easily lifts the packing boxes to the shelf. Atlas is pretty much perfect in doing the loading job, evenly matched with a human worker.
The surprises do not end here. The next scene shows how easily the “atlas robot” jumps from one block to another block. It lands on the floor with a perfect “backflip”, a perfect landing like a gymnast.
Yes, all these scenes are enough to scare all of us thinking about what will happen if these Atlas robots go rogue.
Well, so far goes the “Atlas robot”, the humanoid robot of Boston Dynamics. But, Boston Dynamics has also gone far ahead with their “robot dogs”, the four-legged “Spot Mini”. Another video shows, a four-legged robot, code name “Spot Mini”, autonomously patrolling the “Boston Dynamics campus. These four-legged robots, code name Spot mini, can go upstairs and downstairs. More surpassingly, they can go down the stairs backwards. It can also run, though not at high speed right now. But, in the future, it may outrun the real “dogs” in the field for sure.
Can I buy Atlas Robot from Boston Dynamics?
No, still now Boston Dynamics is working on it. What we have seen in the videos are prototypes for the expo and more rigorous R&D work. Boston Dynamics has made two of its robots, “Stretch” and four-legged “Spot Mini”, ready for commercial purchase. But, rumours say it won’t take long for Boston Dynamics to make its “Atlas” robot ready for the market.
Can you buy “Boston Dynamics” robots?
Image credit: ARS Technica
Yes, interested customers can buy Boston Dynamics’ “Stretch”, designed for distribution and warehouses. For more information, you must visit the Boston Dynamics order page (https://www.bostondynamics.com/products/stretch).
Boston Dynamics’ Stretch model is designed to move on an “Omni-directional” mobile-base with four independently controlled wheels, but no legs.
But, Stretch is used for mainly logistic purposes and has been popular among customers. Boston Dynamic first introduced its “Stretch” in the spring of 2021. All the market-ready products have been sold out through 2022 due to strong pre-order demand from early customers like “GAP”, DHL supply chain, H&M, and preference team. Boston Dynamics right now accepting reservations for the year 2023 and 2024 deliveries.
“Stretch” has been popular for its easy deployment, simple control technique, and flexibility in the working field. You can deploy “Stretch” in just one day without much complexity. Boston Dynamics’s flawless programming makes “stretch” works continuously without supervision. Just start it and let it unload the trucks and load the cases in the “warehouses” for you. “Stretch” is designed to handle a variety of packing boxes and stacking configurations with ease.
Certainly, it’s the excellence of Boston Dynamics to make it flexible and inevitable in logistic operations.
The features of “Stretch” are as follows:
- Precise case detection with its cutting-edge “computer vision and programming”
- Its strong “Robotic Arm”, with 7 degrees of freedom to manoeuvre, got enough strength, flexibility, and speed.
- It has a highly sensitive adaptive “gripper” to handle the package with care
- It is powered with high-capacity batteries to work long with a single charge
- Its sensitive and fast maneuvering base can move in any direction and tackle obstacles and ramps easily.
- “Stretch” can handle “packing” cases up to 50 pounds
- Boston Dynamics’ Stretch can easily maneuver in and out either in trucks or scant spaces in warehouses.
This is why “Stretch” is unmatched to make the logistic operation easier, safe and predictable, said Mr Robert Playter, Present CEO of Boston Dynamics. The following deals prove that Stretch’s popularity graph in logistic operations is really high.
- DHL Supply Chain has again placed a $15 million pre-order to automate its warehouses in North America with Boston Dynamics’ Stretch.
- Another large corporate, Performance Team-A Maersk Company has announced its multi-year agreement with Boston Dynamics I to automate its warehouses and distribution centres in the USA with Boston Dynamics’ Stretch.
- NFI of “New Jersy”, a big player in the supply chain, has signed off a $10 million deal with “Boston Dynamics” to automate its warehouses all over the USA with “Stretch”.
But, not only “Stretch” that is rocking the market, But another model from Boston Dynamics is almost ready to rock the market. This is known as the four-legged “Spot Mini”. Experts are saying this wander “Robot Dog” has diverse uses. Boston Dynamics has already announced its price, only $75000. So, it’s even less than a car!!
In our next article, we bring you “Spot Mini” from Boston Dynamics.
Please, Stay tuned with us.