An electric new era for Atlas • Hacker News Board

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#91

Post by ImHereToVote » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:25 PM UTC

ta8645 wrote: post #50

jack_riminton wrote: post #34

A hill I'm willing to die on: bipedal robots are an evolutionary path that machines don't need to go down, we have lovely bearings and wheels that work perfectly with electric motors. Yes obviously there are limitations i.e. stairs and uneven terrain but there are wheeled/tracked solutions for those too Most of these robots will be used in factories that have very nice flat concrete floors

I'm pretty sure human's role, in the grand scheme of things, is to generate the next step in evolution. We should do the best job we can for the universe.

Why? Does the Universe care? Why not concentrate on those that have the capacity to care?

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#92

Post by cdchn » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:25 PM UTC

dale_glass wrote: post #77

jack_riminton wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

drones, my friend

Drones are cool, but would have a hard time getting through a closed door, or turning a valve.

Also, loud.

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#93

Post by Karellen » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:25 PM UTC

Boston Dynamics: Hey everyone, we're really excited to show you the great progress we are making in our attempts to re-create the Torment Nexus, from the classic cautionary sci-fi novel Don't Create The Torment Nexus.

Too many responses: Oh, wow, it's so creepy, just like the book! Lol. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it won't turn out as bad as DCTTN. ;-) Best just get on with my day and mostly forget about it then...

(With apologies to Alex Blechman)

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#94

Post by Solvency » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:25 PM UTC

snek_case wrote: post #45

jack_riminton wrote: post #34

A hill I'm willing to die on: bipedal robots are an evolutionary path that machines don't need to go down, we have lovely bearings and wheels that work perfectly with electric motors. Yes obviously there are limitations i.e. stairs and uneven terrain but there are wheeled/tracked solutions for those too Most of these robots will be used in factories that have very nice flat concrete floors

The ultimate goal is to produce general-purpose robots. If we want robots that can do everything a human can, then legs are definitely useful. One simple example: getting in and out of a car. Another thing to consider is that a legged robot can tilt itself for balance while carrying heavy objects. To carry a similar weight with a wheeled robot you'll need a much wider wheel base. And then of course, if you want to bu…

whose ultimate goal?

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#95

Post by modeless » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:26 PM UTC

prime09 wrote: post #25

They found the bottom of the uncanny valley and started digging.

Does anyone remember the scene in Terminator 2 where the T-1000 turns around instantly by swapping its face from front to back on its head? It reminds me of that. It's like they were consciously trying to evoke the Terminator.

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#96

Post by Anotheroneagain » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:27 PM UTC

modeless wrote: post #95

prime09 wrote: post #25

They found the bottom of the uncanny valley and started digging.

Does anyone remember the scene in Terminator 2 where the T-1000 turns around instantly by swapping its face from front to back on its head? It reminds me of that. It's like they were consciously trying to evoke the Terminator.

You're thinking of a fight scene in terminator 3.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hSZkU9Yyp0w

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#97

Post by cdchn » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:27 PM UTC

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #47

jack_riminton wrote: post #34

A hill I'm willing to die on: bipedal robots are an evolutionary path that machines don't need to go down, we have lovely bearings and wheels that work perfectly with electric motors. Yes obviously there are limitations i.e. stairs and uneven terrain but there are wheeled/tracked solutions for those too Most of these robots will be used in factories that have very nice flat concrete floors

Agreed. It seems to go hand-in-hand with people wanting to demonstrate humanoid robots doing domestic chores like shirt folding. I'd go out on a limb and say that we will NEVER have humanoid robots at home folding laundry, walking upstairs to put it away, or putting away the dishes in the kitchen. This is a 1960's sci-fi vision of the future, similar to that of flying cars. Any robot capable of fully navigating the h…

I don't think its too outlandish to see these getting to a price point where they're cheaper than a human. The goal might not be an appliance Rosie the Robot in every household but having a robot that can help the infirm, elderly or disabled.

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#98

Post by solardev » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:27 PM UTC

OK well, guess I ain't sleeping this week.

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#99

Post by JKCalhoun » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:27 PM UTC

Mizza wrote: post #39

Jesus fuck. I guess the war machine is hungry again so they've fired all the people who made the cute dancing videos and brought in the nightmare engineers. I'm thinking more and more that that "Terminator" was the most accurate of all the sci-fi dystopias.

Or perhaps "A.I.".

Re: An electric new era for Atlas

#100

Post by bluGill » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:27 PM UTC

snek_case wrote: post #45

jack_riminton wrote: post #34

A hill I'm willing to die on: bipedal robots are an evolutionary path that machines don't need to go down, we have lovely bearings and wheels that work perfectly with electric motors. Yes obviously there are limitations i.e. stairs and uneven terrain but there are wheeled/tracked solutions for those too Most of these robots will be used in factories that have very nice flat concrete floors

The ultimate goal is to produce general-purpose robots. If we want robots that can do everything a human can, then legs are definitely useful. One simple example: getting in and out of a car. Another thing to consider is that a legged robot can tilt itself for balance while carrying heavy objects. To carry a similar weight with a wheeled robot you'll need a much wider wheel base. And then of course, if you want to bu…

Why do I want a general purpose robot? I don't need one robot that does it all, I'm happy with a separate robots for washing my dishes, and vacuuming my floors. Sure both can be improved on, but they don't need to converge. In fact I'm glad those two are separate as I can let both of them run at the same time and get the work done faster, while a general purpose robot can only do one at a time. The goal is to make my life better, robots are only an implementation detail. Maybe some robots need legs (construction robots?), but most don't. If the robot with wheels is cheaper I'll take that in many cases.