Optimus Schmoptimus - Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot is already in mass production

Remember when Elon Musk predicted that there would be thousands of Optimus robots at Tesla factories by the end of 2025? Well, that didn't happen, but competitor Boston Dynamics has just announced that its humanoid robot, Atlas, is going to the big time. Not only is Boston Dynamics beginning commercial production of the final …

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

Let's face it. About the only claim Musk has come through on is that he would get Drumpf elected...

[Philo T Farnsworth]

AI or just CGI?

I'm sure that I'm not the only one to observe that the video accompanying this puff piece is all computer generated.

If were feeling charitable, I'll say AI generated but I'm not feeling especially charitable at the moment.

I've seen Wizard of Oz so I'll believe it when I see an actual demo, preferably in real time with no "man behind the curtain."

[shodanbo]

Re: AI or just CGI?

With all the computer generated stuff recently (AI or otherwise), maybe we should pivot back to the metaverse and just get humans into the digital space rather than the other way round?

[LogicGate]

Re: AI or just CGI?

The video was clearly CGI. My guess is that it used CAD-Models of the polished production variant of Atlas. In my opinion, this was a mistake, and the result is "meh".

However, if you look at their official channel https://www.youtube.com/@BostonDynamics/videos , you will find more than enough videos of real hardware doing some rather impressive stuff.

[munnoch]

Re: AI or just CGI?

Notice the hands in the video are quite anthropomorphic whilst the "hands" in the still picture are terrifying alien like grappling hooks...

I would have thought for a controlled environment like a factory assembly floor the flexibility of humanoid robots is a completely unnecessary expense and doesn't really get you very far down the road towards being able to operate in unstructured environments like homes.

[96percentchimp]

Re: AI or just CGI?

The CGI seems like a weird choice for Boston Dynamics when they've produced so much real world footage of Atlas testing that's genuinely impressive. I guess the marketing wonks took over - they're always the real threat to civilization.

[Mimsey Borogove]

Re: AI or just CGI?

I guess the marketing wonks took over - they're always the real threat to civilization.

Maybe we can send them off in a space ship to get Mars ready for the rest of us? They can tell us when it's done, and what a great job they did, and then we can send the useful people.

[that one in the corner]

From photo of prototype doing work

Lookie there, (at that point in time) it has two pincers instead of trying to waste effort on mimicking a complete human hand.

Curiously, *just* enough of a hand to tuck in one pincer (acting like a "thumb") whilst raising the other in Optimus's general direction.

(The animation demo real shows more fingers - which looks more like a salesman's idea than an engineer's; I hope. Daft thing, to use an effector that is more complicated than it needs to be, just ask any of the robots that already very effectively build cars)

[Neil Barnes]

useful robots that can <...> help make our lives safer, more productive, and more fulfilling

Your plastic pal who's fun to be with? No doubt it can assist you to the employment office to find a job to replace yours...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: useful robots that can <...> help make our lives safer, more productive, and more fulfilling

I'll be back.

[Grunchy]

Killbot

Robots have always been best at killing and maiming. They do that without even trying!

The video is pure fantasy. Honda gave up on Asimo as a waste of time back in 2018. The one sure way to make sure Asimo doesn’t fall down the stairs and burn the house down is to anchor his feet to the floor, and while you’re at it enclose him in a safety cage so he doesn’t rip anyone’s limbs off.

[DJV]

That bit in the video at around 0:45 where the robot observes the human walking past and thinks, "Meatbag... to be eliminated at the earliest opportunity."

Asimov's three laws? Meh, we've heard of 'em...

[Dan 55]

It was a rendered video to avoid that very scenario of showing the robot going on the rampage when it sees a human.

[Ochib]

As long as they don't fit red LEDs in the eyes, we will be fine

[Zack Mollusc]

Good point

In fact, why do they always spec evil glowing red eyes in robots? Is it somehow cheaper to make evil LEDs than non-evil LEDs? Is it just that the process of making evil LEDs has been optimised over the decades and now non-evil LEDs can never be competitive?

[Dizzy]

Humanoid robots do everything worse compared to "classic" industrial robots. This is just so the CEO can walk around on stage with dramatic music and a robot.

[Anonymous Coward]

and backstage with a robot girlfriend.

[Blackjack]

Transformers toys sure have got expensier and uglier.

[APro]

I asked the kiddies.

I decided to ask the next generation - i.e. my teenage kids - what they thought of Atlas*. They thought it was interesting but weird to have what they thought would be an expensive humanoid robot in an industrial setting rather than something quicker, and purpose built. Pretty much what I thought too. When I asked about it's use at home, they flatly said "no way". The flat featureless face is too scary, and they both said that hair & skin dust (as opposed to industrial dust - completely different things) from pets and family members would get into the open joints (as well as tiny fingers) and so would massively increase maintenance requirements and become a bio hazard. I asked what they would they prefer instead and both described something more rounded, "soft/cuddly", with no visible joints that when I said "so Baymax from Big Hero 6?", they said "yes - one each please!". So, Disney/Marvel needs to get into the proper robot making business (not toys) and build Baymax-alikes.

*They too wondered if Atlas was AI generated. My kids are turning away from social media and anything, such as advertising, that even mentions AI because there's "so much of that shit" (their words, not mine).

[werdsmith]

Re: I asked the kiddies.

Put them in theme parks to spook people, would be their ideal role.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I asked the kiddies.

Put character costumes on them.

Disney could then run mascots all shift, no more breaks.

[Anonymous Coward]

In other news

The price of Spandex suits has gone through the roof…

[Zzxap]

My job entails a driver and myself. I have joked with him that he could be replaced by a self driving car but I was probably safe. Having watched that video I have just worked out that the only thing keeping me safe is cost.

[Roland6]

Looking at the production volumes, I suggest the vast majority of jobs are safe for the next 20 years. However, there will be a shortage of people skilled in setting these things up and then reprogramming when models and production lines change; so looks like there will be some rather remunerative jobs for at least the next 20 years…