Boston Dynamics' Atlas Robot Can Do Parkour

In a new YouTube video from robotics company Boston Dynamics, which Alphabet sold to SoftBank last year, a robot is shown hopping over a log and then up a series of blocks, an activity called parkour.

This two-legged robot, called Atlas, is the same one that was shown doing a backflip less than a year ago.

The video is called "Parkour Atlas," in reference to a popular recreational activity among young people. In a 2007 New Yorker article, parkour is described as "a quasi commando system of leaps, vaults, rolls, and landings designed to help a person avoid or surmount whatever lies in his path."

An earlier version of Atlas starred in the Darpa Robotics Challenge in 2015. Teams of researchers added their own technology to the robot, with varying degrees of success.

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Boston Dynamics Atlas Robot Can Do Parkour | CNBC

[jdhollinshead]

Next they will be wanting our clothes, boots and motorcycles.

[G]

This android is actually more agile than many humans.

[Knewman]

Do you want to get Terminators!? Because that's how you get Terminators.

[commonman]

I See? Future Prison Guards, Mall Cops, Roaming Robot Police On The Streets, Warehouse Workers, Maybe Even Soldiers... This Robot Technology Is Really Developing Fast.. No Joke...

[dodekaedius]

I see the future of my EMP grenade business growing fast

[nickf]

I am amazed by the huge progress achieved in a very small period of time. Congratulations to the teams of experts who contributed to these results!

[mikeomolt]

Don't worry, your jobs are safe, unless you do back flips and leap over boxes for a living.

[homemmpa]

I for one welcome our new robot overlords.

[IntoTheMindlessAbyss]

Brace yourselves... the Skynet jokes are coming.

[carlossandersoncastillo]

Uber will buy this company. Uberkills. We got your Hitman. Fast and clean

[kimmycooksandgardens]

It's needs to learn how to parkour so that when there are masses of corpse lying down on the streets in a few years, it could just parkour its way around without being hindered

[CaptainHowdyLa]

"Drop your weapon! You have 20 seconds to comply"

[demetriuslewis]

The most fluent robot I've ever seen.

[rorykeane]

I think this is the most impressive robotic video I've seen to date. More advanced robotic's will probably improve the lives of most people as well as noticeably lower costs of certain goods and services, but the advancement of a truly intelligent AI is a different concern and one that we should be focusing more attention toward.

[Hypernova-ugob]

nothing short of astounding, truly impressive

[IvanPlayStationLiFe]

The worst mistake Google ever did was selling this company a huge mistake.

[danielwhyatt]

Look forward to seeing what the next iteration will show us.

[soulsil]

This is going to be part of some documentary in the future if we survive the AI apocalypse.

[bruhsauce]

imagine being on the battle field and a robot jumps from the sky and breaks your neck, remember they are very strong.

[MrScottaJohnson]

I for one can’t wait to serve our new robotic overlords. All hail Atlas!