|
Listen to this text  |
Boston Dynamics by no means disappoints when it releases a video exhibiting new capabilities for its robots. And it simply launched a video, “Atlas Gets a Grip,” wherein the humanoid performs a slew of recent strikes at a simulated building web site.
A “construction worker” atop a scaffold conveniently forgot some instruments down on the bottom. Instead of hopping right down to get the instruments himself, Atlas brings the instruments to him. And that is the place the magic occurs.
Atlas, utilizing a claw gripper, picks up and manipulates a wood plank to create a bridge for itself onto the scaffold. It then picks up a toolbag, runs onto the scaffold, spins round and throws the toolbag as much as the development employee. Atlas then pushes a wood field off the scaffold and flips and twists its approach to the bottom.
You can watch the video atop this web page. Boston Dynamics stated the brand new capabilities symbolize a pure development of the humanoid robotic’s skillset, significantly in areas of notion, manipulation and autonomy. Atlas’ means to choose up and transfer objects of various sizes, supplies, and weights whereas staying balanced is enabled by improved locomotion and sensing capabilities.
For this video, Boston Dynamics put in utility “claw” grippers with one fastened finger and one transferring finger. Boston Dynamics stated this gripper debuted throughout its Super Bowl business when Atlas lifted a keg over its head. These easy grippers are designed for heavy lifting duties.
According to Boston Dynamics, a number of the different new capabilities embrace:
- Improved management methods so as to bounce 180-degree bounce whereas holding the wood plank.
- Performing a spinning bounce whereas throwing the software bag. To accomplish this process, Boston Dynamics prolonged the mannequin predictive controller (MPC) to think about the coupled movement of each the robotic and object collectively.
- Pushing the wood field from the platform, which meant Atlas wanted to generate sufficient energy to trigger the field to fall with out sending itself off of the platform.
- Atlas’ concluding transfer, an inverted 540-degree, multi-axis flip, provides asymmetry to the robotic’s motion making it a way more troublesome ability than beforehand carried out parkour.
“We’re layering on new capabilities,” stated Ben Stephens, Atlas controls lead, Boston Dynamics. “Parkour and dancing were interesting examples of pretty extreme locomotion, and now we’re trying to build upon that research to also do meaningful manipulation. It’s important to us that the robot can perform these tasks with a certain amount of human speed. People are very good at these tasks, so that has required some pretty big upgrades to the control software.”
Boston Dynamics launched a must-watch video (under) that takes you behind the scenes of how this new routine was developed.
In a weblog, Boston Dynamics defined a number of the extra complicated sequences within the new routine. Stephens stated Atlas manipulating the massive wood plank was particularly difficult. Instead of turning round cautiously, Atlas carried out a 180-degree bounce whereas holding the plank. Stephens stated this meant Atlas’ management system wanted to account for the plank’s momentum to keep away from toppling over.
He additionally stated pushing the wood field from the platform is a deceptively complicated process. Atlas wanted to generate sufficient drive to trigger the field to fall, leaning its weight into the shove with out sending its personal physique off the platform.
Stephens additionally stated the flip on the finish of the routine is far more troublesome than earlier acrobatics. The twist provides asymmetry that doesn’t exist in a daily backflip. Not solely is the maths extra sophisticated, however in trial runs, Atlas stored getting tangled in its personal limbs because it tucked its legs and arms.
“We’re using all of the strength available in almost every single joint on the robot,” Deits says. “That trick is right at the limit of what the robot can do.”
Stephens stated humanoids that may routinely sort out soiled and harmful jobs in the actual world are a “long way off.” So it seems Atlas will stay a analysis platform for the foreseeable future.
“Manipulation is a broad category, and we still have a lot of work to do,” he stated. “But this gives a sneak peek at where the field is going. This is the future of robotics.”
