Boston Dynamics and Agility Robotics are working on methods to improve how well their bipedal robots manage falls. Boston Dynamics wowed the public last week with two big announcements. The first was the launch of the electric Atlas, which garnered almost five million views in a short period of time. The day prior, they announced the retirement of the first hydraulic Atlas, commemorating ten years of use with a celebratory film and blooper reel that emphasized the process of learning from mistakes made repeatedly.
Similar to humans, bipedal robots are prone to falls, but what distinguishes their advancement is how well they bounce back. "Everyone falls sometimes, it's how we get back up that defines us," Agility recently said. Teaching robots to fall safely is another example of this idea in action. Fall safety is a vital skill for both the longevity and functionality of robots.
Robots falling during jobs are a good indicator of real-world testing, according to Pras Velagapudi, the recently hired CTO of Boston Dynamics, and are necessary for long-term operation in these contexts. Human-understood safe fall techniques, like head protection and utilizing limbs to guide the fall, are being adapted for use with robots. This method has been essential in creating robust robots that can bounce back and carry on with their tasks following a fall.
Boston Dynamics has also gained a lot of knowledge from Spot, its quadriplegic robot, which exhibits improved stability but nevertheless stumbles in challenging operational settings. Reducing the frequency of these falls and improving robot resilience have been made possible by the company's acceptance and analysis of them.
Another factor that has helped in this area is agility, especially since their Digit robot now has arms to help with balance and recovery after falls. They even went so far as to show off this ability in a live presentation, where even though the demo had a high success rate, the rare fall offered insightful teaching moments and an opportunity to highlight the robot's rapid recovery capabilities.
Robots must be able to fall safely and rebound on their own. This is essential for their incorporation into "brownfields," or existing industrial environments, where they must function dependably with little assistance from humans. Every fall brings new lessons, advancing the field of bipedal robotics and guaranteeing its longevity in practical uses. Bipedal robots are not only technological wonders but also robust, adaptive beings that are ready for further integration across multiple sectors because of their constant learning from falls.