After 11 years, Boston Dynamics is saying goodbye to Atlas, the humanoid robot best known for its (somewhat unsettling) dance sequences and impressive backflips. In a video posted on YouTube, the robotics company says it’s time for its hydraulic bot to “kick back and relax” in retirement.
Boston Dynamics created Atlas in 2013 as part of a contest for the Department of Defense. In its very first iteration, Atlas stood six feet, two inches tall and weighed 330 pounds. As Boston Dynamics continued to tweak Atlas’ design over the years, we’ve seen the robot hop, jump, and twirl across a mat and even toss around tool bags.
It’s not too surprising that Boston Dynamics has chosen to retire the bipedal bot, given that it doesn’t sell Atlas to commercial customers like it does with its dog-like robot Spot and warehouse worker Stretch. But hey, maybe we’ll see Atlas make an appearance in another group dance video down the road. Here’s a recap of Atlas’ history at Boston Dynamics.
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