Boston Dynamics in-house robot, Atlas, has now learned parkour.

The humanoid ‘bot has already learned to do backflips, and now it can jump over obstacles and dynamically shift its weight as it hops from one surface to another.

Which all goes to show there’s probably no escape for humanity now.

Since it was first revealed to the public back in 2013, Atlas has continued to gain more skills – blowing past milestones as it becomes eerily more human-like.


In order to have it nimbly jump up the 40cm blocks in this video, all its creators had to do was upgrade its software.

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‘The control software uses the whole body including legs, arms and torso, to marshal the energy and strength for jumping over the log and leaping up the steps without breaking its pace,’ Boston Dynamics said.



‘Atlas uses computer vision to locate itself with respect to visible markers on the approach to hit the terrain accurately.’

The robot measures 1.5m (4.9ft) tall and weighs 75kg (11.8st). It’s able to use its arms to lift, carry, and manipulate objects in its environment.

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot doing parkour

Boston Dynamics claims that ‘in extremely challenging terrain, Atlas is strong and coordinated enough to climb using hands and feet, to pick its way through congested spaces.’

It can also self-correct its balance if it gets pushed or knocked to avoid falling over.

Atlas can now jump over blocks (Image: Boston Dynamics)

Te machine is being developed so that it can be used in search and rescue operations.

But (perhaps to set our minds at ease) it’s also being trained for more pedestrian activities like sweeping or vacuuming. So even if the robot apocalypse comes to pass, at least it’ll be clean and tidy.