Robotics

Entire Boston Dynamics robot line-up dances in the new year

Entire Boston Dynamics robot line-up dances in the new year
Two Atlas robots and a Spot
Two Atlas robots and a Spot
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The video features the entire Boston Dynamics robot range dancing in sync
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The video features the entire Boston Dynamics robot range dancing in sync
Two Atlas robots and a Spot
2/2
Two Atlas robots and a Spot

Boston Dynamics is sending off 2020 with its most impressive robot video to date – showing off its entire range dancing to the classic song “Do You Love Me?”. The fun video offers the first glimpse at two Atlas robots working together while also highlighting just how quickly this technology is developing.

Back in 2018 Boston Dynamics released a cute video of its dog-like Spot robot dancing to “Uptown Funk”. The playful video was a fun little demonstration of Spot’s broad range of movements, exciting at the time but very simplistic looking back from the vantage of today. Now the company has stepped things up delivering a long choreographed dance video featuring not only Spot, but two Atlas robots and a special appearance from Handle, a wheeled model.

Do You Love Me?

Released as a kind of New Year’s gift from the company, the video is the first look at two Atlas humanoid robots working together. Atlas, still technically a prototype robot, has demonstrated a stunningly rapid evolution over the past decade from barely being able to walk in 2013, to being allowed to roam tetherless in 2015, completing a spectacular parkour routine just three years later, and finally getting acrobatic last year.

Spot on the other hand is the company’s only currently available commercial product, finally reaching the market earlier this year with a price tag of US$75,000. As well as rocking crisp dance moves the robot dog has been seen herding sheep in New Zealand, helping treat COVID-19 patients, and working on a Norwegian oil rig.

The video features the entire Boston Dynamics robot range dancing in sync
The video features the entire Boston Dynamics robot range dancing in sync

Handle is perhaps the company’s most practical model. First revealed in 2017, the wheeled robot seems designed for pragmatic warehouse uses but, like Atlas, is still not commercially available.

Dancing robot videos are certainly not new but Boston Dynamics has again demonstrated just how far ahead of the pack its technology is, and as an indication of just how incredibly fast this field is evolving, take a look at a Virginia Tech robot dancing to “Gangham Style” back in 2012. The video is only eight years old but it feels like it is from ancient times compared to the new Boston Dynamics work.

CHARLI Robot Gangnam Style

12 comments
12 comments
Mike Vidal
Wow, this is a hell of an achievement on their part, amazing how far they really have come.
1stClassOPP
Scary. They’re more agile than most humans. What’s next?
CraigAllenCorson
Well - that may be the most hilarious thing that 2020 has brought me. I never for a moment dreamed that I would one day see dancing robots. They're not bad, for machines, but I don't think they'll be hearing from the Bolshoi any time soon. On the other hand - 2020 is not quite over yet. 😁😁
Douglas Bennett Rogers
Backup dancers displaced by robots!
buzzclick
They got ridim...funkiest robots ever!
Patrick Young
Ew! Creepy, uncanny, horrible toasters. We're all doomed...
Ivan Hermans
In 1983 during a performance of “Billie Jean”, MJ performed for the first time his famous dance move, the Moonwalk – a choreography created by himself.
Gizmowiz
I can imagine in 50 years the Olympics will all be robotics. Humans will be so boring, so slow, so dull in comparison the human Olympics will die off completely.
Mark O'Brien
Pretty amazing evolution. But in the back of my head I hear "At your command" being said by Cylons...
WB
Skynet, that's how it started....
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