In a new YouTube video, Boston Dynamics is reinventing the notion of the dancing robot by showcasing what its machines are capable of doing once the music starts. The dancing automatons not only show eerily natural movement but also exceptional synchronicity in performing complex maneuvers. The renowned robotics company is known for its machines that exhibit agile moves and natural motion comparable to their living counterpart, from four-legged canine drones to full-sized human-like bots.
Earlier this year, Boston Dynamics' bots were busy with the pandemic as the company attempted to help slow the spread and protect frontline workers as they continued to fight the outbreak. Given their wide array of capabilities, the robotics design company isn't only offering these hefty metallic contractors to hospitals or police stations, but to consumers as well. That is as long as they can afford the equally heavy price tag.
Now, Boston Dynamics has highlighted the locomotive prowess of its robots in a hearty dance video. The accurately lifelike motion of the automatons shine, as they flaunt their moves while dancing to “Do You Love Me” by The Countours. The video starts out with the company's humanoid Atlas bot dancing alone before eventually being joined by a gang of robots, including another Atlas. The group even comprises of animal-like automatons, such as the popular robo-dog Spot and an ostrich-looking droid called Handle, with each showing off their unique moves.
Sign Of A Better Tomorrow Or A Scary Future?
It's hard not to love a performance like that, but it's even harder to deny how far robotic motion has come, from its stiff representation in dance moves like “The Robot” to now looking as good, if not better, than the quality of struts on a dance floor by the average human. By exhibiting flawless synchronized movement, and even with actions that groups of people might find difficult to execute, it also highlights just how effectively robots can work in harmony. All of which is true testament to how quickly this industry is evolving.
Of course, there are some concerns over the proliferation of machines in the work place and even the fear robots will eventually replace human workers in some industries, leading to many losing their livelihoods in the process. Companies like Amazon are already showing how robots can be instrumental in the operation of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. While in other countries, robots have been used to patrol the streets, inevitably giving an impression of a dystopian future. Regardless of whether an individual embraces or fears the evolution of robotics design, it's hard to deny this latest video is not an interesting end to 2020.
Source: Boston Dynamics/YouTube