December 17, 2013

What is Boston Dynamics and why does Google want robots?

The Atlas humanoid robot is just one of the Boston Dynamics stable of advanced robotic platforms acquired by Google. Photograph: Boston Dynamics

Google’s recent acquisition of Boston Dynamics marks its eighth robotics purchase in the past six months, showing Google’s “moonshot” robotics vision is more than just a pet project.
Boston Dynamics is the most high-profile acquisition, however, instantly adding world-leading robotics capability, including robots that can walk all on their own, to Google’s arsenal – as well as significant links to the US military – conjuring images of Skynet and the artificial intelligence-led robot uprising straight out of the 1984 film The Terminator.

What is it?


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems to me, at least, that it is in-fact a robot that is much akin to one of those massive death-machines from MechWarrior. For those of you who are not aware of the games and books, I strongly recommend that you research this.

If this "corporation" is building something like that, then they sure-as-Hell need to explain what they are doing, because this is not something that can be ignored.

Lindsey

Anonymous said...

IN-FACT, the "Atlas" was the largest of the 'mechs in the game, if I remember correctly, so for this prototype to be called "Atlas" gives my theory on what is happening a chilling perspective.

Lindsey