ATLAS robot upgrade inches closer to more human-friendly droid... The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencys (DARPA) ATLAS robot has already secured its place in the pantheon of humanoid robotics, but a new version of the bot shows significant progress beyond its aesthetically crude beginnings. ATLAS Unplugged, unveiled on Tuesday, delivers a sleek new look and improved functionality, edging the robot ever closer to becoming a fully functional humanoid robot that may one day work alongside humans. The update represents a 75% upgrade in parts over the robots previous version. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing in at 345 pounds (about the size and weight of an NFL linebacker), ATLAS latest version runs on a more powerful battery pack (a 3.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, giving it one hour of operation), does not require a safety tether (as with previous ATLAS versions) and will offer improved wireless communications with its handler. Redesigned by Boston Dynamics (which was acquired by Google in 2013), DARPA claims that ATLAS Unplugged is quieter and stronger than previous versions, enabling the robot to more easily lift itself up if it falls.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 01:46:23 +0000
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