You may or may not have seen the new demo for the Boston Dynamics Atlas robot. It now has hands! It can use objects to span gaps, do flips, and throw objects a considerable distance. The new grippers installed are simply a two-finger claw with one fixed finger and one moveable one. This allows Atlas to lift and move large or heavy objects. This human-sized robot has been featured in videos running and jumping and flipping through Parkour courses in demos and competitions. In a Super Bowl commercial, Atlas lifted a keg over its head. Atlas is the leading design for humanoid robotics. But is strictly a research platform, so don’t look to buy a new best friend.
Boston Dynamics is a leader in the robotics development field. They burst on the internet scene with the eerie Big Dog four-legged robot with an inner ear-like balancing gyro. They have since won international robotics competitions and continue to develop new capabilities and accomplish more natural movements with robotics. One day we may all have a distant relative of Atlas helping us at work or around the home. The robotic revolution is truly unfolding right in front of us.