Boston Dynamics' new video of robots completing a parkour course goes viral

American engineering and robotics design company Boston Dynamics recently shared a video of two robots effortlessly completing a parkour obstacle course. This clip is now viral on social media platforms including Youtube. According to Boston Dynamics, the video was recorded when humanoid robots were demonstrating their whole-body athletics. As the video goes on, it shows the robot maintains its balance through a variety of rapidly changing, high-energy activities that obviously entertain the netizens. "The Atlas Team as we work to train multiple Atlas robots to manoeuvre their way through our most complex parkour course yet. The team pushes Atlas to its limits to discover the next generation of mobility, perception, and athletic intelligence," read the statement of the American engineering and robotics design company.

Watch the video here:

Parkour is the perfect sandbox for the Atlas team

The robotics team said that the parkour is the perfect sandbox for the Atlas team at Boston Dynamics to experiment with new behaviours. "In this video our humanoid robots demonstrate their whole-body athletics, maintaining its balance through a variety of rapidly changing, high-energy activities," read the video description of the video. "Through jumps, balance beams, and vaults, we demonstrate how we push Atlas to its limits to discover the next generation of mobility, perception, and athletic intelligence."

Amazing robotic parkour course gone viral 

Since being shared on August 17, the video has gone viral and managed to garner over twenty-two lakh views and over seven thousand comments. "I've always thought preppers are crazy but since this video clearly shows that the rise of the machines is just around the corner it's time to dig my hole in the ground and bring in some supplies," read the comment of a social media user. "I’ve always wanted a “personal assistant” type robot that would accompany me out in public. I don’t like going out alone, and volunteer in a sketchy part of town. It would be so cool to have a robot to go shopping with," read the comment of the second user. 

Salto-1P, a robot that jumps like a frog

After building a robot that looks like a dog, Boston Dynamics has now upped its innovation game and brought a robot capable of jumping around like a frog. Called Salto-1P (which stands for Saltatorial Location Terrain Obstacles), it is a mono pedal jumping robot capable of continuous high-power hopping. The robot jumps on one foot as if playing one-leg hopscotch or jumping on stepping stones. The researchers explain the action as 'deadbeat foot placement hopping control' where precise foot placement enables the robot to jump on surfaces like furniture. Salto-1P will be demonstrated at the 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image Credit: ANI)