Manual operations run by humans that are cumbersome, time taking, and tedious are gradually being replaced by robots. Slowly, robots are predicted to take over more of human work.

Boston Dynamics is a Google acquired subsidiary that specializes in making robots that are closely influenced by the human semantics. It has launched robots like Cheetah that run at an unprecedented speed or the PETMAN, a humanoid robot. The Boston Dynamics was acquired in 2013 and is majorly engaged in robotics development and continues to develop advanced robots.

Their latest innovation is a humanoid robot named Atlas. It has been improvised since its last version and was introduced at the FAB 11 conference at MIT, by the Boston Dynamics founder, Marc Raibert. Atlas weighs 156 kg (about 6’2″, 344 lbs) and is a beastly robot. It can navigate simulated terrain within a lab, and in outdoor terrains, such as forests as long as it’s connected to a power supply.

Atlas, is backed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has recently received a major upgrade, and is now equipped with lighter and advanced materials and new actuators. More testing is being carried out as they plan to develop it into the humanoid robot.

These new upgrades include new 3D printed legs for better efficiency. The legs of the robots are attached together with nuts and bolts and have complex multiple parts. The hydraulics of the robot is complicated and adds to the weights of the robot. A new 3D designed leg is being designed for the robot to make it lighter, agile, and increase its performance levels. This 3D printing technology will enable the researchers to route a cooling fluid in the limbs of the robot so that it provides a cooling effect when the robot is in continuous use.

Source: 3dprintingindustry.com