Boston Dynamics and TRI Partner to Bring AI to Atlas Humanoid Robot

Boston Dynamics and the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) have announced a new collaboration to integrate advanced AI intelligence into the Atlas humanoid robot. This partnership will combine Boston Dynamics’ robotic hardware expertise with TRI’s work on large behavior models (LBMs), which are similar to the large language models (LLMs) behind platforms like ChatGPT.

TRI’s Robot Learning Advances

TRI has been making significant strides in robot learning, achieving 90% accuracy in tasks like household chores, as revealed during last year’s Disrupt conference. According to TRI head Gill Pratt, their research demonstrates how robots can perform tasks such as flipping pancakes with fewer training cases than previously thought necessary. By refining machine learning techniques, TRI has reduced the number of training cases needed from millions to just dozens. Pratt explained, “When you’re doing physical things, you don’t have time for that many, and the machine will break down before you get to 10,000. Now it seems that we need dozens. The reason for the dozens is that we need to have some diversity in the training cases. But in some cases, it’s less.”

Boston Dynamics’ Role in the Partnership

Boston Dynamics, known for its innovative hardware and AI systems, is a natural fit for this collaboration. While the company has developed advanced AI to power robots like Spot, integrating full autonomy in humanoid robots requires addressing more complex challenges. The partnership with TRI will focus on advancing general-purpose humanoids capable of performing diverse real-world tasks.

Statements from Leadership

“This partnership is an example of two companies with strong research-and-development foundation coming together to work on many complex challenges and build useful robots that solve real-world problems,” said Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter.

The Electric Atlas Robot

Earlier this year, Boston Dynamics revealed the design for its electric Atlas humanoid robot, marking a significant departure from the larger hydraulic version. The new model, while not extensively demonstrated, has already shown impressive strength in a video of the robot performing pushups, highlighting its physical capabilities.

Industry Context and Competition

While companies like Agility, Figure, and Tesla have focused on developing their AI teams in-house, Boston Dynamics’ collaboration with TRI sets it apart by combining resources from two leaders in the field. Notably, both organizations are backed by automotive giants Hyundai and Toyota, adding a layer of competition between the two brands.

The Future of General-Purpose Humanoids

The ultimate goal of this collaboration is to create a general-purpose humanoid robot, capable of learning and performing tasks comparable to human abilities. While robotic hardware has made significant advancements, the challenge of achieving true general intelligence remains an ongoing pursuit.

Looking Ahead: The Future of AI-Driven Robotics

The partnership between Boston Dynamics and TRI is a significant step toward developing robots that can solve real-world problems autonomously. While there’s still a long way to go in achieving artificial general intelligence, collaborations like this bring us closer to that future.