Boston Dynamics engineers discuss the design, simulation, and dexterity of Atlas’s new hands.
The new hands are designed to support Atlas’s current needs and a path toward mass production. They have 13 degrees of freedom, compared with 7 on GR-2, and are somewhat larger and stronger than an average human hand.
The team designed for behaviors such as pinching small objects, repositioning items while holding them, and gripping a tool while pressing its trigger. Object reorientation serves as a test case for future work with tools and assembling parts.
The hand’s human-like form helps connect human demonstrations to robot motion, while clean simulation supports reinforcement learning. The team is exploring how to extend learning methods used for whole-body training to arm and hand manipulation.
The hand is designed to transmit environmental forces and motion so Atlas can sense them through proprioception. Backdrivable joints can move out of the way during hard impacts, which supports dexterity and helps protect the gearbox.
The team weighs design choices using simulation, 3D-printed mockups, and hands-on trials. It left out a pinky because the added dexterity did not justify three more degrees of freedom, along with extra size, power use, and actuator complexity.
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A Boston Dynamics Prototype Operations team member explains how the company builds and improves Atlas, from precision machining through assembly and testing, alongside its engineers.
Boston Dynamics’ robotics team discusses Atlas’s path to industrial work at Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics Metaplant Application Center, with a host visiting the facility.
The Atlas Director of Robot Behavior at Boston Dynamics talks with NEXT host John Koetsier about Atlas’s design, robot intelligence, factory integration, and why legs can suit industrial work.
Chris Thorn, Atlas hardware team lead at Boston Dynamics, discusses the new Atlas design with industrial designers Aaron Abroff and James Kucera at Boston Dynamics.
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