Boston Dynamics & TRI Unite to Infuse AI Brilliance into the Atlas Humanoid Robot
Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute Tie the Knot Over a Robot Revolution
Picture this: a sleek, electric Atlas humanoid robot—think James Bond meets Terminator—now getting a brain‑boost from the brainchildren of Toyota Research Institute (TRI). It’s not just a techie dream; they’re actually cooking up AI-driven intelligence to make Atlas smart enough to handle chores like a pro.
Betraying the Past Trade‑Off
Back in September, TechCrunch popped by TRI’s Bay Area lab and got the lowdown on how the team is redefining robot learning. At the 2021 Disrupt conference, Gill Pratt, the lab’s head honcho, spilled the beans on achieving a whopping 90% accuracy in tasks such as flipping pancakes overnight.
“Traditionally, machine learning demanded millions of data samples—an impossible ask when your robot is on a coffee run or juggling a laundry basket,” Pratt explained. “When you’re dealing with real, messy situations, you only get a handful of examples before the system crashes. Now we’re looking at doing plenty—just a few dozen—because diversity is key. Sometimes, it’s even lower.”
First‑Class Hardware Meets Second‑Class AI
Enter Boston Dynamics. Their engine—Spot, the robo‑dog—already rock-solid in hardware, is now teaming up with TRI to tackle that extra layer of complexity. Spot’s firmware and AI wizardry have already powered its own autonomous adventures, but teaching a full‑autonomous robot like Atlas to tackle intricate tasks? That’s a new frontier.
- Spot’s tried‑and‑tested tech gives the collaboration a strong base.
- TRI’s large behavior models (LBMs) echo the same concepts as the popular large language models that fuel ChatGPT.
- Combined, they’re aiming to make Atlas smarter—think of it as upgrading from a flip‑phone to an iPhone 13.
Why This Matters
Imagine a future where Atlas could help out at home, navigate obstacles at a construction site, or even perform surgery with perfect precision—all thanks to AI models that learn from fewer, diverse examples. It brings us a step closer to the day when robots aren’t just machines but collaborative partners.
And that’s the scoop—American ingenuity meets Japanese innovation, powered by AI brilliance. It’s the kind of partnership the future didn’t see coming, but it’s definitely here.
Gill Pratt Sparks Lively Conversations at TC Sessions 2017
The Robotics Boom is Here—And It’s Hilariously Exciting
“There’s never been a more thrilling time for the robotics world,” declares Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter. “Our partnership with TRI is a perfect example of two powerhouse research teams coming together to tackle tough challenges and churn out robots that actually solve real problems.”
- Boston Dynamics unveiled its electric Atlas in April, finally ditching the old hydraulic-style name.
- TechCrunch caught a brief clip in August showing Atlas doing push‑ups—proof that this robot isn’t just strong, it’s really muscle‑bound.
- Unlike competitors like Agility, Figure, and Tesla, who hand‑build their AI subsystems, Boston Dynamics is now joining forces with TRI—twins from Hyundai and Toyota, who normally battle it out on the motor‑bike track.
Why This Collaboration Matters
While most humanoid builders keep their AI teams inside their companies, Boston Dynamics is now partnering with an external research team. This is a game‑changer because the alliance brings together automotive giants that are usually rivals. Picture a Heisei-era Toyota‑Hyundai super‑duo in robot form—nostalgic and oddly impressive.
Event Highlights
The TechCrunch event was a whirlwind of demos, talks, and robot antics. From Atlas’s solid push‑ups to conversations about future humanoid directions, the day was a rollercoaster of tech and humor. Big thanks to a special thanks image credit: TechCrunch.
Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
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Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.
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b2d’s New Brain: The AI Institute
Picture this: one of the most iconic robotics companies in the world, Boston Dynamics, pops out a fresh, independent research arm called The AI Institute (formerly The Boston Dynamics AI Institute). It’s led by the legendary Marc Raibert – the man who strapped robots with legs, one inch at a time – but it’s cruising its own path, not chasing after the company’s hardware business.
Why break off?
- Boston Dynamics’ heavy‑lifting machinery is heading into a future that could tackle nearly any job a human could, but true general intelligence is still a beast.
- By giving the AI Institute its own wings, Marc allows the team to chase the “could‑do‑anything” dream without being bogged down by mechanical constraints.
What the AI Institute is after
Goal: Nurture a system that can learn and perform any task you’d expect from a person – maybe even outdo us in the spreadsheet department.
We’re not just about building bipedal robots that can fetch biscuits; the real ambition is a machine that’s as versatile as a human brain, but with the speed of silicon.
Spotlight on Spot
Spot, Boston Dynamics’ loyal four‑legged companion, has benefitted massively from open‑source tools that let developers add all sorts of jobs – from mapping coffee shops to tournament‑style obstacle courses. But the crowning glory—an Artificial General Intelligence—is still a long‑haul “tomorrow”.
In a nutshell
- Boston Dynamics is keeping da hardware sleek.
- The AI Institute is chasing the next giant leap – true AI that matches or beats a human’s flexibility.
- Meanwhile, Spot’s SDK has made my robot buddy a jack‑of‑all‑tasks, but the ultimate dream of an all‑capable machine? Keep your eyes on that horizon.
