Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot, Atlas, has demonstrated its ability to lift and move a heavy refrigerator. As the company prepares for the robot's deployment at Hyundai Motor Group's new factory in Georgia in 2028, Atlas has showcased both its full-body control capabilities and its ability to handle external objects.
In a video released on May 19 on Boston Dynamics' YouTube channel, Atlas is seen bending its knees slightly to lift a 23kg (50lb) refrigerator. While carrying the refrigerator, it maintained its balance as it moved to a table behind it, then executed a 180-degree turn to safely place the refrigerator on the table.
Performing this task requires advanced full-body control technology that allows the robot to maintain a balanced posture while lifting objects of varying sizes and weights. This marks a significant milestone, indicating that Atlas is moving beyond laboratory demonstrations to operate in more variable industrial environments.
A Boston Dynamics representative stated, "The ability to estimate its state using sensors in the absence of external information and to integrate a continuous series of movements, as shown in the video, proves that Atlas can perform high-level tasks in real industrial settings. Atlas quickly learned these movements through large-scale simulation-based reinforcement learning and implemented them in real environments within weeks."
Atlas has successfully transported not only the 23kg refrigerator but also a refrigerator weighing up to 45kg (100lb). The successful movements highlight Atlas's high performance and compatibility as a developmental model.
For instance, the actuators used in Atlas are standardized into two types, and both arms and legs are designed with the same structure to facilitate easy parts replacement. This approach is expected to enhance cost efficiency based on economies of scale.
Boston Dynamics also released behind-the-scenes training footage of Atlas, showcasing the robot performing a 360-degree turn while lifting one leg and executing backflips. The ability to control the upper and lower body separately requires advanced control technology that minimizes interference between joints while maintaining movement continuity. Movements like handstands and backflips are crucial for assessing Atlas's flexibility and balance, as well as for teaching it how to recover from slips or falls.
Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group announced its vision at CES 2026 in January, stating its goal to expand robotics in everyday life and industry to drive human progress. The company plans to strengthen strategic partnerships with leading global AI firms and collaborate with Google DeepMind to accelerate the development of future humanoid technologies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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