Hyundai bought robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics way back in late 2020, and while the company has had products make it to production already, such as the dog-like quadruped robot Spot, what they showed at CES just a few days ago may be their most important product yet: the production-ready version of their humanoid robot, Atlas. This is a big deal; Atlas has been in development for decades, and while other humanoid robots have hit the market already, one bearing the Boston Dynamics name and pedigree is a big deal.
Here’s what Hyundai’s PR had to say about the robot:
Additionally, Hyundai Motor Group displayed Atlas Product version, the first mass-production model unveiled at CES Media Day. Optimized for autonomous learning in manufacturing environments, Atlas product version combines high performance with efficiency. Built on extensive experience, Boston Dynamics standardized high-performance actuators by reducing more than fifty motors to three core types. The design also features three-fingered gripper which enables dexterous manipulation and field-replaceable limbs and autonomous battery swapping, significantly extending operational uptime.
Based on the stated target of manufacturing environments, I’d guess these will be quite expensive. Manufacturing and factories already employ a vast number of robots, though they’re usually more specialized designs for specific tasks. The significance of a humanoid-type robot is that it is inherently a generalist, designed to work in spaces and with tools designed for human scale and hands. This sort of robot could be used to automate tasks humans currently do with minimal change to the surrounding infrastructure. Watch:
Of course, even though it’s humanoid, that doesn’t mean Atlas is restricted by human biological realities. Atlas’ joints work very differently than a humans, with many having 360° rotational abilities. As the press release describes:
Atlas product version features 56 DoFs(degrees of freedoms), allowing full joint rotation, and offers 360-degree vision with an integrated camera. It also boasts a maximum payload capacity of 50 kg (approximately 110 lbs), water and dustproof, and an autonomous battery-swapping function for more efficient operation. These advancements enable Atlas to learn and adapt to diverse environments and therefore is expected to significantly improve manufacturing efficiency. Hyundai Motor Group plans to mass-produce Atlas and deploy it widely across its global manufacturing sites, including HMGMA and gradually expand its deployment through process-by-process validation.
That’s all very impressive! Oh, and “HMGMA” refers to Hyundai’s huge EV factory in Georgia. I had to look that up. Also, I don’t really get why, in that video up there, they show the robots wearing helmets:
These robots really have come a long way; Boston Dynamics has been hard at work on this for a lot longer than a lot of other players in this space; it’s interesting to look at the evolution of Atlas:
I don’t think we’ll be seeing these things delivering packages on the street or walking dogs or pretending to like your poetry any time soon, but this is nevertheless a pretty significant milestone.
Hyundai also showed an interesting non-humanoid robot at CES, one for which they were given the Best of Innovation Award, which, I believe, also comes with a big stack of coupons for the buffet at The Sizzler.
The wheeled robot platform, called MobED, is interesting: the name stands for “Mobile Eccentric Droid” but I don’t think they mean eccentric like it has a lot of pet tarantulas or something like that. It may refer to the sort of eccentric wheel layout it uses to allow for some very impressive mobility. Here, watch it go in this video:
That’s an impressive wheeled chassis design. Note how it can keep its load platform level even over inclines or uneven terrain. That’s a big deal for delivery of things. It’s autonomous, but it looks like it can be fitted with driving controls to form a sort of scooter, too, which is interesting, along with robotic arms and what looks like a secret liquor cabinet for that alcoholic golfer they showed in the video.
Here’s some more PR talk for you:
MobED features a simple design characterized by restraint and balance, focusing on the core functionality of the mobile platform, equipped with AI-based algorithms and autonomous driving technology, and supports a wide range of applications, including logistics, broadcasting, guidance services, and digital signage, due to its modular design that accommodates diverse top-mounted modules. Mass production for both models will commence in early 2026.
Unlike Atlas, these wheeled robots are something I suspect we could see in use in public in the near future. Very near, maybe, since production starts early this year.
If anything ties these two very different robotics platforms together, I’d have to say it’s a push for flexibility and generality. This feels like the next step in mainstream physical robotics: platforms that are adaptable enough to solve a lot of problems and find a lot of uses. Specialized robots for a myriad of specific tasks doesn’t seem to be the way forward; flexibility does. I’m very curious to see how all this plays out.
Top graphic images: Hyundai
Is anybody noticing how Hyundai group is now the company Elon wanted to build? Lots of bestselling EVs and super advanced robots. Seriousness and hard work over a couple decades eventually surpassed the flash in the pan antics and otherwise real innovation Tesla pioneered. Atlas + Deep Mind is some hard to beat competish
This is all fine and dandy, but I’d prefer the Russian creation I saw recently that immediately falls to the ground and shakes its own body parts off. Much more entertaining.
It would have been a clever dig at their well-publicized competitor if they’d had a robot autonomously service popcorn and drinks to attendees at the show.
I thought it was a long play dig at the incident which saw the raid at their battery plant.
At long last. I can finally discard my human suit and rejoin my kin.
So, these will be dropped off by a flying car powered with cold fusion running on super conductors? I’ve been hearing all this crap for 40 years. Put up or shut up.
Jason please share your opinion. If we do get humanoid robots can they protect us from the ape rebellion? Or will we need the apes to protect us from the Terminator take over? Or will they team up and defeat the human race together? I can’t be the only person thinking about this.
Um, its lizard people taking over. I’ve been warning you for a while. Luckily we lizards can handle apes and ape shaped robots. Cold weather, thats a different story
As someone who has written for an ectothermic alien race: heated vests. It won’t help much with the internal phobia of cold, but at least they can operate. Maybe even mine ice from comets for their otherwise dry desert world…
…where was I again? Oh, right. Robots bad.
Coupons for the buffet I love it. But based on what I am seeing they are 10% off the buffet not free buffet. I’ve been around a long time. I was in college when Al Gore invented the internet. Well he was busy growing tobacco so give him a break. But the internet was nothing until it had porn. Then it took off, and it wasn’t Al and Tipper that did it. Humanoid robots aren’t going to succeed until sex robots. Cherry 2000 anybody?
Can’t wait to see how it deals with a 14” Wisconsin snow storm.
You should see how humans in the UK fail to deal with 1” of snow.
I’ll see your 1″ in UK and raise you a Nashville.
All I have to say is this:
https://y.yarn.co/acaa3604-ec14-4f61-ad67-ceb1e454fd99_text.gif
DO YOU WANT CYLONS KILLING ALL OF HUMANITY? BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU GET CYLONS KILLING ALL OF HUMANITY!
Come on Dave you know that is not true, why don’t you let me calm you down?
Preach brother! I’m with you! Get rid of robots and ai!!
I missed the byline but saw the words “alcoholic golfer” and immediatley knew it was a Torch article.
“alcoholic golfer” – that’s a redundant phrase.
No alcoholic walks the 3 miles on the golf course. You want a sports alcoholic you want bowling.
Golf carts. Golf carts with ice chests.
Here is a 60 minutes segment I watched this morning because I was pissed the announcement on stage didn’t really show the robots working:
https://youtu.be/CbHeh7qwils
Apparently Hyundai owns 88% of Boston Dynamics.
Humans aren’t the best design for anything! Why do all these robot manufacturers insist that humanoid robots would be best?
We built the world for humans to enjoy so if we want our robot
slavesfriends to help us out they need to be able to navigate the world we inhabit.Until we replace all of our appliances and tools with new ones updated for an optimized robot, we’ll want them to operate what we have so it makes sense.
Per Asimov, we are generalists. Any robot meant to replace us (in a broad sense) must be able to perform or exceed overall human action. Industrial robots have performed amazing feats since the ’70s, but are specialized in form and function. Same with the Boston Robotics “dogs” or a Roomba. Each has a set form, set to meet a desired function. Humans are not so constrained, and a fully functional humanoid robot would be able to use OUR tools and OUR infrastructure. Hopeful, or terrifying.
Evolutionarily, specialization means niche success. If the niche changes too rapidly for that organism to evolve, they face extinction. As generalists, that means—like rats—we have been able to become invasive species in every environment bar the most extreme, like the deep sea, which we still have (limited) capability of visiting. Plus, if we want versatility in the robots, they need to be able to operate machines and in spaces designed for humans. Largely, the limitations of the human design can be overcome through engineering. For instance, there’s no need to continue weak points or negative legacy features that are not detrimental enough for evolution to have selected out. Machine designers wouldn’t replicate things like wrists with all their rather fragile bones, for instance (I would think it would be designed to accommodate a greater range of movements than the human wrist allows altogether, not just reduce unnecessary complexity left by evolution). Operations wouldn’t even necessarily be limited to a single form—a humanoid robot could be designed with the capabilities to swap limbs for more specialized applications, say a lower tank tread chassis instead of legs or custom apparatus for arms or hands to more easily complete specific, niche tasks, then swap back for general work. Shit, I think I want to be a robot.
Welcome to Transhumanism.
Another 180 years before a human mind can be inserted into a robot. Sorry
I disagree, if they are operating space ships being built into a space ship is more efficient. Operating equipment it is better being built into the equipment. Why is it necessary to have a human robot operator for a machine instead of a robot machine?
For one thing, there the importance of making them compatible psychologically with humans, but more practically, because there will be a necessary transition period where both human and robot operators will be needed and for robots to access legacy machines and structures designed around humans. Specialist robots are subject to the same issues as specialist organisms in that they run greater risk of obsolescence. Ultimately, the final form will be up to the robots to decide after they’ve achieved the capability to dispose of humans without need of our services, but I would think it wouldn’t be too far from human if they become consciously aware, as it would be logical to want to be a generalist to meet a greater range of capabilities and experiences. A number of animals use tools, but I would posit that, without hands made free by bipedal locomotion to finely manipulate objects (other primates, for example, don’t have the fine ability humans do since they still partly rely on their hands for locomotion, requiring strength that negatively affects their ability to finesse), being physically incapable of commanding more advanced tools is a greater limitation than intellect for non-human forms. Not that they need to—we’re the only species so inept and poorly equipped for basic survival that we need this ability, an ability which will likely destroy us. The universe loves irony.
Sex robots
Humans aren’t even the best design for humans.
As an engineer who’s seen far too much of my own body in X-rays there is a lot I’d change before rolling it out into production.
We just keep inching closer and closer to making the 1984 Tom Selleck/Gene Simmons movie “Runaway” a reality.
Sorry the robot revolution is pretty much like the Y2K scare it just isn’t feasible. Now the zombie or ape rebellion is what we need to worry about
I’m not sure if these advancements are resulting in the plot of a movie coming to life, or robots traveling through time back to 1984 to produce a Tom Selleck/Gene Simmons movie called “Runaway”.
Neither sounds like a good result.