Boston Dynamics' Atlas Robot Executes Autonomous Automotive Parts Picking (techcrunch.com) 17
In a new video published today, Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot Atlas is shown moving engine parts between bins without any human assistance. TechCrunch reports: Boston Dynamics is quick to note that the actions are being performed autonomously, without "prescribed or teleoperated movements." [...] Boston Dynamics notes, "The robot is able to detect and react to changes in the environment (e.g., moving fixtures) and action failures (e.g., failure to insert the cover, tripping, environment collision) using a combination of vision, force, and proprioceptive sensors."
In addition to the autonomously executed tasks, the video showcases impressive adaptive -- and strong -- actuators, as the robot pivots at its waist. The action minimizes movements, saving precious seconds in the process.
In addition to the autonomously executed tasks, the video showcases impressive adaptive -- and strong -- actuators, as the robot pivots at its waist. The action minimizes movements, saving precious seconds in the process.
This isn't a bad thing... (Score:2)
At the minimum, this might reduce RSI/carpal tunnel issues with people. Having a robot handle the monotony of handling a box of parts and be able to do something with them is a good thing. The video included is good, but not too far off from what a tape robot already does in a tape autochanger... grip the tape, move it from one slot to another, although moving stuff and turning it 90 degrees 100% optically is a definite advance.
I'm all for parts picking robots. The less stuff that tears peoples' muscles
Robot Lego Grand Challenge (TM) (Score:2)
Hereby find the Robot Lego Grand Challenge (TM)
Stipulations:
1) Robot has to be autonomous and not remote controlled
2) Robot has to build a Lego Death Start model from a 4 foot x 4 foot box of individual Lego pieces
3) Lego pieces are not sorted, pre-built and are in a random pile in the box
4) Robot can be given a list of parts, and an order to build them, and the location where each part goes
5) Entire process must be filmed from multiple angles
Win condition: A fully built Lego Death Star
LEGO was years ahead of its time (Score:2)
I mean, already focusing on building a death star?
Hopefully it is fenced off (Score:3)
Regular robots have killed people semi regularly for many years in industrial environments. The last thing anyone needs it is getting confused and going outside its workspace to smash, tear apart or roll over someone walking by.
Re: (Score:2)
Many items can be deadly including cement mixers, wood chippers, vending machines, etc. In fact, there are on average 70-95 deaths each year from lawn mowers. https://www.newsweek.com/lawnm... [newsweek.com]
As for industrial robots, the latest study I found was from 1992-2017. During those 25 years, 41 deaths were caused by robots - less than two per year.
https://www.safetyandhealthmag... [safetyandh...gazine.com]
As a side note, the first study found almost 200 deaths per year are attributed to deer. Over four times as many as are killed by li
Re: (Score:2)
Please put a fence around the deer, thanks.
Re: Hopefully it is fenced off (Score:2)
Anyone whoâ(TM)s dealt with deer in real life knows you can build a fence as high as you like, and the deer will find a way over, through or around it.
Re: (Score:2)
Uh that is basically impossible. It has to have multiple misrecognitions in a specific sequence for that to happen. I would have to think it's within its workspace, it will have to constantly recognize a human as a target workpiece. I don't see that happening easily.
AI (Score:2)
As great as Boston Dynamics has been, most of their algorithms seem to have been developed using traditional control system theory.
I wonder now that AI models can pre train themselves in their own physics world, whether some upstart will eat Boston Dynamics lunch with a robor based on neural net reinforcement training models?
Not On The Front Lines (Score:2)
Boston Dynamics keeps talking about not putting weapons in these things hands and setting them loose on the battlefield.
Nothing says they can't and won't be building missiles, or parts enough so two guys can screw them together in 10 minutes.
--
In this bright future you can't forget your past. - Bob Marley
Re: (Score:2)
Boston Dynamics robodogs have already been used on small scale by Ukrainian Army as front line reconnaissance units.
Considering how Ukrainians basically invented modern FPVs, I would expect that if they are cheap enough, we'll soon see these weaponized.
Over or under powered? (Score:2)
Pretty amazing, but feels like it is underpowered but not enough CPU or sensors? It is jerky, when it makes a mistake it is something like jamming a part full speed at the wrong angle. Yes it helps that it can pivot its waist (though the way its head can turn around like an owl or possessed person is pretty disconcerting), but it also takes a long time halted, seemingly to confirm that nothing is slipping or happening from an unprecedented direction (maybe it saw someone outside the camera's field of view).
Re: (Score:2)
Unlikely, because this hasn't demonstrated to have bypassed the problem that halted Amazon's autopicker project. Grip strength modulation. In amazon's case, they couldn't figure out how to get picker to modulate grip strength for changing types of objects that need to be picked in a typical amazon warehouse so it doesn't crush some of them and doesn't drop some of them at utterly unacceptable rates.
In this demo, this problem is sidestepped entirely by using only flat plastic panels as objects being picked.
Read Between The Lines (Score:2)
Everybody is picking at whether it's a good parts picker. A dedicated dumb robot is better for many tasks than Atlas. We already know that.
That's not the real application they expect.
This is a "see, if it can do THIS, it can also do THAT".
What do you imagine THAT is?
Looks like same problem as amazon (Score:2)
They fail to demonstrate here that they have bypassed the problem that Amazon ran into a few years ago. Grip strength modulation.
Essentially what amazon discovered with its massive multi-billion automated picker project is that when you have to pick normal things that are being shipped, modulating grip strength not to crush significant percentage of objects and not to drop significant percentage of objects to be a borderline impossible task. Sensors and calibration needed and the speed at which this calibra
Fired. (Score:2)
If a human moved so slowly they'd be fired on the spot. The only reason Atlas isn't getting fired is people saw the Terminator movies.
Re: (Score:2)