[Video] Santa Robot Doing Backflips... Amazing Robotics Technology of Hyundai Motor Group Affiliate

Atlas, a bipedal robot developed by Boston Dynamics, a robotics company affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, has demonstrated another leap forward. Despite switching to an electric drive system, it is capable of the same free movements as the previous hydraulic robot, which has been praised as remarkable in the robotics industry.

On the 24th, Boston Dynamics released a video on its official YouTube channel showing the bipedal robot "All New Atlas" performing a backflip while dressed in a Santa outfit. As Atlas jumps high and executes a backflip, cheers erupt from the surroundings.

Atlas, the bipedal robot from Boston Dynamics, performing a back handspring. Boston Dynamics YouTube

In April, Boston Dynamics renamed Atlas to "All New Atlas" after changing its drive system from hydraulic to electric. The previous Atlas could perform high-difficulty movements such as backflips and parkour without difficulty. Thanks to this, Boston Dynamics has been regarded as having the most advanced hardware in the humanoid robot industry.

However, the hydraulic drive system, which requires hydraulic pumps and oil in each robot joint, had drawbacks such as being heavy and noisy. It also consumed a lot of power and was costly to maintain and repair. Its advantage was the strong load-bearing capacity, enabling it to lift heavy objects or perform powerful movements like backflips.

On the other hand, electric robots use electric motors to operate actuators (controllers), allowing for precise movements. They are also cheaper to maintain and consume less power.

Boston Dynamics adopted the electric drive system while simultaneously preserving the load-bearing advantages of the hydraulic system. Through this video, they showcased the essence of technology that maximizes the strengths of both drive systems. The new Atlas successfully performed backflips that require bearing heavy loads, even while equipped with the heavy battery necessary for electrification.

In a video released last November, Boston Dynamics also revealed Atlas performing tasks without human assistance by utilizing a machine learning vision model. In the video, Atlas recognizes the position and type of parts using the machine learning vision model, finds the precise grasp points, and picks up objects. It then inserts the parts into each compartment of a mobile storage unit. Additionally, if a movement fails, it immediately corrects its posture and adjusts the action.

Boston Dynamics has also announced a collaboration with Toyota to accelerate the development of AI-based humanoid robots. The plan is to apply Toyota Research Institute’s Large Behavior Model (LBM) learning technology to Boston Dynamics robots, which possess leading hardware technology in the industry.