Boston Dynamics, a company under the Hyundai umbrella, showcased its humanoid robot, Atlas, at the CES tech expo for the first time. This unveiling escalated the competition among companies like Tesla to create robots that resemble humans and can perform human-like tasks. The event was held in a Las Vegas hotel ballroom where Zachary Jackowski, a representative from Boston Dynamics, introduced Atlas as it gracefully navigated the stage, engaging with the audience by waving and moving its head like an owl.
During the demonstration, an engineer controlled Atlas remotely, but the company assured that the final version of the robot will autonomously operate. Boston Dynamics disclosed plans to deploy a production version of Atlas by 2028 at Hyundai’s electric vehicle plant in Georgia. Additionally, Hyundai revealed a collaboration with Google’s DeepMind to integrate artificial intelligence into Boston Dynamics’ robots.
Boston Dynamics, known for its iconic robot, Spot, bought by Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics, displayed a synchronized dance routine with Spot robots at the start of the event. The partnership with Google’s DeepMind marks a reunion, as Google previously owned Boston Dynamics before selling it to SoftBank, which eventually was acquired by Hyundai. The influx of investment in robotics reflects the growing interest in the field, although the development of fully versatile, human-like robots for everyday use is still deemed a distant prospect by experts.
In a tech-driven era, the reveal of Atlas and the advancements in robotics symbolize the ongoing evolution of artificial intelligence and automation in various industries. The collaboration between Hyundai, Boston Dynamics, and Google’s DeepMind showcases the intersection of cutting-edge technology and innovative partnerships to shape the future of robotics.
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