The robot uprising may be closer than you think. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot, which previously demonstrated its ability to walk across rough terrain and take all kinds of abuse from its creators, has now mastered a new, and even more terrifying skill: balancing on one foot.

In the video below, from IMHC Robotics, Atlas showcases its new skill, balancing on one foot on a narrow piece of plywood for almost a full thirty seconds, which is way better than a lot of humans. Take a look:

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Perhaps the most striking part of the video isn't the incredibly long time it spends balancing, but the remarkably human-like way it tries to regain its balance at the end. In a fraction of a second, the robot leans its weight to the side, rotates its torso, and shifts its foot placement—twice! Check out this instant replay:

DRCihmcRobotics YouTube

This is a level of coordination that many humans will struggle with, and this robot makes it seem effortless. This is even more remarkable considering that it was only learning how to stand up a few months ago, and considering that the world's premier robot competition tends to have a lot of falling over. You'd better start preparing for the robot wars now, because by the look of this video, they're coming sooner than you think.

Source: DRCihmcRobotics via IEEE Spectrum

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