The production version of Boston Dynamics' new Atlas robot was presented at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The electric humanoid robot is aimed at a variety of industrial tasks, can work safely near people and changes its batteries itself so it can work continuously.
Atlas is a humanoid robot that Boston Dynamics has been developing for years. The robot initially served as a research platform. Atlas is known from several videos in which the humanoid robot manoeuvres over obstacles and performs tasks.
Material handling, order picking and logistics processes
A production version of this robot was presented at CES. Atlas is designed to perform tasks such as material handling, order picking and logistics processes.
Boston Dynamics reports that Hyundai will commission Atlas at its Robot Metaplant Application Centre (RMAC) this year. RMAC is a new centre in the United States (US) where Hyundai will train and validate its AI robot solutions. The opening of the centre is part of Hyundai's new strategy, in which the company is committed to human-robot collaboration.
In addition, Google's AI research company DeepMind Atlas will take delivery in 2026. Boston Dynamics is partnering with DeepMind, aiming to integrate AI models from Google DeepMind into Atlas. This should improve Atlas' cognitive capabilities.
No physical separations needed
Atlas features learning algorithms that enable the robot to adapt to dynamic working environments and learn new tasks quickly. The robot recognises people around it and automatically adapts its movements. Atlas can be integrated into existing work processes without physical partitions.
The humanoid robot features 56 Degrees of Freedom (DoF), fully rotating joints and a reach of 2.3 metres. The robot can lift up to 50 kilograms and is equipped with advanced sensors, including tactile feedback and a 360-degree camera view. In addition, Atlas is waterproof (IP67-certified) and operates in temperatures from -20°C to 40°C.
Three control modes
The robot features replaceable batteries, which Atlas exchanges itself at a charging station. The robot can then immediately continue its tasks. Atlas can be controlled in three ways:
- Autonomous
- Remotely controlled by an operator
- Via a tablet
Atlas is compatible with industrial systems such as MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) via Boston Dynamics' Orbit software. Orbit is a central platform for controlling, monitoring and integrating robots such as Atlas and Spot. Orbit also allows tasks taught to one robot to be shared with other robots in the network.
