Boston Dynamics has made significant strides in upgrading its humanoid robot, Atlas, transforming it from a clunky, limited prototype into a highly agile and dexterous machine. When first introduced in 2021, Atlas could run, jump, and balance when pushed, but its movements were stiff and mechanical. Today, the latest version of Atlas can perform complex acrobatics like cartwheels, dance, and run with a fluid, human-like gait. It can twist its arms, head, and torso 360 degrees, and even stand up from the floor using only its feet—movements that no human could replicate. At Boston Dynamics’ headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts, correspondent Bill Whitaker observed the robot’s advanced capabilities. One standout feature is its ability to pivot its upper body 180 degrees without turning its entire frame, allowing it to face the opposite direction instantly—a feat humans can’t achieve without physically rotating their bodies. Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, explained that the robot’s enhanced range of motion aligns with the company’s philosophy: design robots to surpass human limitations. “We think that's the way you should build robots. Don’t limit yourself to what people can do, but actually go beyond,” Playter said. A key engineering advancement is the elimination of wires crossing rotating joints in the limbs, torso, and head. This innovation prevents wire fatigue and breakage, improving reliability and enabling continuous rotation. Scott Kuindersma, head of robotics research, noted that this design allows the robot to move freely without mechanical constraints. The new Atlas is also powered by advanced AI, running on Nvidia chips. The robot learns through teleoperation, where a human operator uses virtual reality gear to guide it through tasks. In a demonstration, a machine learning scientist trained Atlas to stack cups and tie a knot by repeating the actions multiple times. The robot’s AI then internalizes the motion and can perform the task independently. Atlas’s hands remain a major engineering challenge. The robot has only three digits per hand, but they are highly versatile. They can reposition to function like a hand with three fingers or swing into a thumb-like configuration, enabling a range of grasps. Tactile sensors on the fingers provide feedback to the robot’s neural network, helping it adjust grip strength and manipulate objects with precision. Despite these advances, Kuindersma acknowledged that teleoperation systems still have room for improvement, especially in controlling the shape, motion, and force of the grippers. “Being able to precisely control not only the shape and the motion, but the force of the grippers, is actually an interesting challenge,” he said. Whitaker noted the current hype around humanoid robots, with predictions of millions or even billions of robots in homes and workplaces. Playter agreed that while enthusiasm is high, real-world deployment requires reliable, affordable machines—something that takes time to develop. “While AI and software can move ahead at super speeds, these are machines. Building reliable machines takes time,” he said. The video, produced by Will Croxton and edited by Scott Rosann, captures the evolution of Atlas and the ambitious vision behind Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robotics.