Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

This Robot Can Now Do Parkour—And Humanity Is One Step Closer To Annihilation 😳

This Robot Can Now Do Parkour—And Humanity Is One Step Closer To Annihilation 😳
YouTube: Boston Dynamics, Twitter: @WIRED
Make us preferred on Google

Boston Dynamics has become synonymous with robotic advancement and videos of its extraordinary creations in action can be both awe-inspiring and unnerving – and the latest footage is no different.

The clip shows Atlas, a humanoid robot, easily jumping through a parkour-style series of obstacles and displaying a remarkable ability to jump.


Despite measuring 5ft tall and weighing 165lbs, the battery-powered robot makes leaping seem effortless, using hydraulic actuators on 28 separate joints to maneuver itself.

It's quite impressive, really:



Atlas's control system co-ordinates the joints located in its arms, torso and legs and keeps it balanced, while 3D-printed hardware saves on weight and space to give it a high strength to weight ratio.

Previous videos have shown this strength in action, showing Atlas jumping up on to high platforms and even performing a backflip.



Atlas uses sensors that give it stereo vision and the ability to sense range, allowing it to interact with objects in its environment and traverse rough terrain.

Meanwhile, its control center's sense of balance means Atlas can be shoved but stay upright, and even get up if it is toppled.

Atlas is one of many forms of robot created by Boston Dynamics, which began as a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with other quadruped robots capable of opening doors.



The robotic firm's videos have accrued millions of views on its YouTube channel, but once their latest feat hit the internet, the reception wasn't quite so much awe as it was straight up fear.





There were many who noted that we're just one step closer to the grim future that movies like The Terminator and I, Robot depict:






This doesn't look good for humanity...







It kinda makes you wonder what Boston Dynamics' end goal really is...





If you'd like to see more of what the company does, check it out here.

Or, if you'd rather pretend like our future robotic overlords aren't getting stronger and smarter every day, then that's fine too.




A version of this article originally appeared on Press Association.

More from Trending

Pete Hegseth
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Doctor Goes Viral After Laying Out Why Hegseth's Mandate To Treat Troops With Testosterone Is A Very Bad Idea

MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense, former Fox News weekend host Pete Hegseth, drew considerable mockery after announcing his "High-T Department of War" on X on July 15.

People noted the irony of Hegseth mandating gender affirming healthcare through hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after the Trump administration banned transgender people from serving in the military.

Keep ReadingShow less
Charlie Kirk
Benjamin Hanson/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

A New Statue Of Charlie Kirk Is Coming To Times Square—And Everyone's Thinking The Same Thing

People are already predicting what might happen in response to news that a statue of the late far-right activist Charlie Kirk is set to debut in Times Square in September.

Kirk was assassinated in September while speaking at a university in Utah; the suspect was caught after a two-day manhunt and has since been charged.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Riley Gaines discussing Kamala Harris
Fox News

Riley Gaines Just Tried To Slam Kamala Harris For Greeting WNBA Players In Locker Room—And It Backfired Instantly

Former NCAA swimmer-turned-conservative darling Riley Gaines was criticized afer she complained during a Fox News interview about Vice President Kamala Harris greeting players in the locker room after a WNBA game, saying that critics didn't react the same way after FBI Director Kash Patel did the same during the Olympics.

Harris recently attended a Los Angeles Sparks game against the Chicago Sky alongside her husband, Douglas Emhoff. After the Sparks secured the victory, Harris also visited the team's locker room, where she congratulated the players and addressed them following the win.

Keep ReadingShow less
A. close up of Andy Serkis
LEONARDO MUNOZ / Contributor/Getty Images

Andy Serkis Sparks Casting Debate After Defending All-White Cast In New 'Lord Of The Rings' Film

It's been almost 15 years since Andy Serkis last graced the screen as Stoor Hobbit Gollum, the afficionado of "precious" rings in the legendary Lord of The Rings franchise.

Hence why Middle-earth devotees are having trouble containing their excitement for his return to his iconic, motion capture role in 2027's The Lord of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum, for which the multi-talented actor and motion capture artist will also be taking directorial duties.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from Aubrey Birrell's TikTok video
@aubsbirrell/TikTok

TikToker Completely Freaked Out After Finding 'Unsettling' 10-Year-Old Photo Of Her Family Hanging In Their Airbnb

A family's vacation to San Diego took a very weird—and possibly creepy—turn when they discovered their likeness displayed on the wall of the Airbnb they'd booked for their stay.

TikToker Aubrey Birrell shared a video of her and her sister freaking out, standing in the hallway of their Airbnb while describing the strange find.

Keep ReadingShow less