The first time I saw a Boston Dynamics robot move, I genuinely thought there was a person inside the machine. Not literally, of course, but something about the fluidity of motion – the precision, the uncanny timing – seemed less robotic and more… alive, more human or at least more animalistic.
For years, I’d watched robots lumber around trade shows or on TV, carefully placing one foot in front of the other before promptly tipping over.
So, when Boston Dynamics released videos of Atlas backflipping and dancing with unsettling realism, I wasn’t the only one who found it both mesmerizing and a little eerie. One observer even called it “ghastly” – and not as an insult, but as a mark of awe.
This visceral response is often linked to the uncanny valley – that uncomfortable space where something is almost human, but not quite. Boston Dynamics doesn’t just dip into that territory; it practically lives there.
The company’s robots, especially Atlas, often feel like they’re being puppeteered by some hidden, organic intelligence – perhaps the digital echo of a basal ganglia, or whatever it is in us that knows how to run, balance, twist, and recover without conscious thought.
It’s not all smoke and mirrors, either. Boston Dynamics has spent more than 30 years building legged robots, refining the co-design of hardware and software, and leaning into partnerships with the likes of Nvidia, Toyota Research Institute, and the Robotics & AI Institute.
The company has quietly established itself as the undisputed leader in movement realism. And this isn’t just spectacle. It’s practical.
The new electric Atlas is built for real jobs – heavy lifting, fine manipulation, repetitive tasks – in industrial environments where its humanoid form makes it more useful, not just more impressive.
Boston Dynamics itself has had a meandering commercial journey. Born from MIT’s Leg Lab in the early 1990s, it has passed through the hands of tech giants like Google (under Alphabet), then SoftBank, and now Hyundai, which acquired the company in 2021.
These changes often prompt speculation: Is Boston Dynamics a research shop with cool YouTube videos, or a business with staying power?
With Hyundai planning to deploy tens of thousands of robots – including Spot and Stretch – and the first commercial proof-of-concept for Atlas planned at the automaker’s new Metaplant in Georgia, the answer is starting to tilt toward the latter.
In this exclusive interview, David Robert, director of human-robot interaction at Boston Dynamics, walks us through the company’s evolution, the public’s reaction, the technological innovations behind lifelike motion, and the commercial horizon now coming into view.
Robotics & Automation News: Can you start by introducing yourself – your name, job title, and a brief description of your role at Boston Dynamics?
David Robert: David Robert, director of human-robot interaction, Boston Dynamics
R&AN: Boston Dynamics robots often provoke strong reactions – part fascination, part unease – due to their lifelike movement. Why do you think they’ve captured the public imagination so powerfully?
DR: Boston Dynamics has been building dynamically stable, legged machines longer than anyone else in the world. We’ve been at it for more than 30 years. It’s important to us to show the reality of what our robots can do so we do not use computer-generated imagery or other editing tricks in our videos.
Whether we are showing our latest research or product feature, we focus on showing real capabilities (and sometimes we even show our failures!) Our robots are designed to do real work in the real world, and with thousands of robots deployed on customer sites today, we are setting the standard for mobile robotics.
Over the years, the public has watched videos of our now-retired humanoid, hydraulic Atlas, dancing, jumping, and flipping. Not only is our new electric Atlas designed with a more human-like form, but it is ultimately created to perform tasks in environments designed for humans, making work environments safer and more efficient.
With a broader range of motion, Atlas’ head and torso are fully capable of unlimited rotation and can lift and manipulate heavy and irregular objects. So when the robot is deployed in real-world, industrial settings, its value and purpose of these robots will be more obvious.
Additionally, Atlas is also designed to look different from other humanoid robots. It has an almost lamp-like head that indicates a less intimidating robot, a feature that will be important as humans interact with it in the future.
Our mission is to imagine and create exceptional robots that enrich people’s lives. We see this work as the next step in the evolution of machines that reduce the danger, repetition, and physically difficult aspects of work.
R&AN: Technically speaking, how did Boston Dynamics achieve such realistic movement and balance in Atlas? What were the key breakthroughs, in layman’s terms?
DR: Atlas’ human-like movement results from over 30 years of R&D at Boston Dynamics, which has laid the foundation for understanding how to replicate human and animal movement in machines.
Key innovations come from the years of hardware and software co-design, which have ensured Atlas to be the most capable humanoid platform, both in terms of physical capability and software interfaces for authoring behavior.
We recently expanded our partnership with Nvidia. We’re using the Nvidia Jetson Thor computing platform, enabling Atlas to run complex, multimodal AI models that work seamlessly with Boston Dynamics’ whole-body and manipulation controllers.
Our partnerships with Toyota Research Institute (TRI) and Robotics & AI Institute (RAI) also allow us to accelerate the development of humanoids.
The new electric Atlas robot’s physical capabilities, coupled with TRI’s ability to programmatically command and teleoperate a broad range of whole-body bimanual manipulation behaviors, allow both research teams to deploy the robot across a wide range of complex tasks and collect data on its performance.
Our collaboration with RAI builds upon its existing research in AI and reinforcement learning, allowing Atlas to build dynamics and generalizable mobile manipulation behavior.
Rather than being pre-programmed for every task, with reinforcement learning, Atlas can learn how to move smoother, more realistic, and autonomously, react to obstacles, and make real-time decisions, such as shifting its balance when pushed or walking over terrains.
R&AN: What practical or commercial benefits have these advanced movement capabilities unlocked? How does Hyundai plan to capitalize on them, and is Boston Dynamics profitable yet?
DR: Atlas will initially be deployed at Hyundai Motor Group to aid in manufacturing at its facilities. Designed for autonomy, the robot is built to improve safety, reliability, and operational efficiency.
Thanks to its advanced movement capabilities, Atlas will begin with applications like part sequencing on automotive production lines, tasks that have traditionally been difficult to automate. This initiative marks a significant step toward using robotics to tackle complex, labor-intensive work more safely and efficiently.
Hyundai Motor Group recently announced its plan to invest in tens of thousands of robots in the next few years. The company is already deploying Spot robots for industrial inspection and predictive maintenance.
R&AN: With many companies now building humanoids, where does Boston Dynamics fit into today’s robotics landscape? Can you also describe where Spot and Stretch are currently being used and what roles they perform?
DR: In addition to Atlas, we also offer two other robots. Our quadruped robot, Spot, has been deployed in various industries, including automotive, construction, public safety, and manufacturing facilities.
Its applications include remote inspections, surveying hazardous environments, monitoring industrial sites, and providing data collection.
Our mobile case-handling robot, Stretch, is designed to lift up to 50-pound boxes of various shapes and sizes in warehouses and distribution centers. Its powerful robotic arm has advanced vision systems to automate tasks like case picking, palletizing, and loading trucks.
Additionally, Stretch’s multipick ability allows it to pick and move multiple boxes at once. Companies like DHL, Otto Group, H&M, and Gap, deploy Stretch to improve efficiency in supply chain operations.
R&AN: Some believe humanoids will soon be widespread, even in homes. Do you agree? How far off is that vision?
DR: Our robots, including Atlas, are currently designed for industrial and commercial use. As our technology continues to mature, we are as excited as you are about helpful humanoids in our daily lives and households, but this reality is still years away but the path to a truly general-purpose humanoid robot will be long and hard.
R&AN: Finally, what’s next for Boston Dynamics – both in terms of product development and commercial plans?
DR: We are excited to continue deploying all of our robots and commercialize the new electric Atlas. Our collaborations with TRI and RAI have continued to advance robotics’ capabilities through reinforcement learning and large behavior models.
Robots like Stretch are increasingly deployed across the globe for warehouse automation, and Spot’s applications and software continue to show value. Overall, Boston Dynamics aims to make its robots practical and intelligent tools.
We are extremely excited and our first POC (proof of concept) for Atlas will take place later this year at Hyundai’s Metaplant in Savannah, Georgia.
Looking ahead: Is Boston Dynamics finally on the cusp of its commercial era?
That thing about being ahead of your time. For years, Boston Dynamics wowed the world but was dismissed as having no commercial future. Obviously, the market just wasn’t ready at that time.
But now, with a sudden surge of interest in humanoid robotics, the tide appears to be turning. It’s no longer just about viral videos – it’s about viable products.
Hyundai’s involvement seems pivotal. With deep pockets, a manufacturing empire, and ambitious automation goals, the company offers the stable platform Boston Dynamics probably lacked before.
Add in the tailwinds of AI, labor shortages, and global supply chain stress, and it’s not hard to imagine Atlas – and its robotic cousins – finally stepping into the mainstream.
One might still argue that humanoids are just too weird to be given a space alongside humans in workplaces or anywhere else. But if we can get over the weirdness, Boston Dynamics stands to make a lot of money.
Questions asked by Abdul Montaqim on behalf of RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com
