01/04/2024

The Man Who Made Robots Dance Now Wants Them to Think for Themselves

Boston Dynamic's founder now leads an institute trying to make robots more independent

Anyone currently worrying about artificial intelligence (AI) taking over the world may want to swing by the Boston Dynamics AI Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While walking around, they'd see that the robots that might lead a future uprising are still trying to tie their shoelaces, metaphorically speaking.

The institute's founder and executive director, Marc Raibert, has built some of the world's most famous robots at his previous venture, Boston Dynamics. The company, acquired by Hyundai in 2020, has developed legged machines capable of running, leaping, and of course dancing with spryness that can veer into the uncanny.

Raibert’s creations include the four-legged, pony-sized Big Dog; its smaller dog-like buddy, Spot and an acrobatic humanoid called Atlas. They have racked up influencer-levels of YouTube views and likes, found their way into comedy skits, and even inspired dystopian Black Mirror episodes.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.