Apparently selling to SoftBank has only increased the rate at which Boston Dynamics produces ridiculous new videos of its crazy robots.
Just three days after uploading a video of the new design of its dog-like robot SpotMini, the Boston robotics company has uploaded another video, this time of its Atlas humanoid robot. In the past, we’ve seen this robot walk around, pick up boxes, open doors, and get tripped with hockey sticks.
Now it’s learnt a new trick: backflipping.
The short video shows the robot’s ability to hop between boxes at different heights, jumping and spinning at the same time, and then landing a backflip that Simone Biles might be jealous of. The robot has always looked a little awkward and jerky in previous videos, but its movements here look downright human.
But just in case you’re worried about a ninja-like robot coming to hunt you down during a soon-to-unfold robot revolution, be sure to watch to the end of the video. It seems that even robots need practice, as one of its attempts at a backflip saw it completely scuff the landing and go barreling into the box it jumped from. There’s hope for humanity yet.
