Adrian K Pierce

NEWS: Boston Dynamics has just released a new video of its upgraded next-generation humanoid robot called Atlas. • 4 hour battery. Self-swappable for continuous operation • 6 feet 2 inches tall • Weight: 198 lbs • 56 total degrees of freedom • Now fully electric, ditching older hydraulic systems • New lightweight mix of aluminum and titanium components • 110 lbs weight capacity (66 lbs sustained) • Can reach up to 7.5 ft • Constantly evaluates its surroundings and adjusts its posture, balance, and grip in real time • Hands that can reconfigure as needed. Tactile sensors feed data back into the system, helping apply the right amount of force • Brain is powered by Nvidia chips

Tesla Robotaxi ride review from automotive journalist Scotty Reiss: "The Robotaxi began our ride, smoothly and easily navigating through busy downtown Austin, changing lanes to get out of a bus lane, and steering safely through a construction zone. The ride was really comfortable, and each route was simple and direct — something that self-driving rideshare doesn’t always get right because they have to align their drop-off points with a lot of other data, including pre-selected passenger loading locations. We didn’t experience any of the early hiccups riders reported in the first weeks of Robotaxi rides; I appreciated the calm feel in the cabin, thanks in part to the lack of screens: there are only two. A large center screen on the front dash displays your current route and the traffic around you, including pedestrians and bicyclists, and a smaller screen in the rear seat. Each time we reached our destination the Robotaxi navigated busy parking lots quite well; some were in a busy downtown corridor, another was in a Target parking lot on a hot afternoon. There were lots of shoppers coming and going from all angles. The Robotaxi waited patiently and chose considerate places to let us get out each time, once even pulling into an empty parking spot. The Waymo actually chose less considerate places to pick up or drop off, making traffic behind it wait for us to load into the car. It also took longer to get out of the parking lot than the Robotaxi, which seemed to proceed at a more human pace; the Waymo never went over 5 MPH in parking lots. In my experience, the Robotaxi rides were flawless. They never felt like the car was unsafe, misidentifying signs or other vehicles, or ignoring the rules of the road."