Boston DynamicsOh, cool! Google has a giant robot that knows how to crane kick.
Boston Dynamics, a Google-owned robotics lab, creates mind-blowing technologies, like BigDog, a four-legged creation that could serve as a robotic pack mule for the U.S. Military.
Now the lab is showing off its Atlas robot. It's 6'2", weighs 330 pounds, and it's learning moves from The Karate Kid. Except it skipped "wax on, wax off" and went straight for finishing moves. Basically, this is any middle school kid's dream come true.
The two-legged robot, named Ian, can stand on one leg and kick its other leg forward. Granted, it's meant for all kinds of search and rescue tasks, but as the Internet loves nostalgia and defeating bullies, we're focusing on the Miyagi-inspired training sequence, please.
There are a number of questions this technology presents: Will there be a Karate Kid spinoff with no human actors? Can this robot learn other action movie training montages, like running up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps in Rocky? And, most importantly, is it sad that this robot is more coordianted than we are?
It's important to note that this engineering project is meant to development technologies that can take on tasks that are too dangerous for humans by aiding in emergency scenarios. It's not, like, a mean robot or anything.
But if you're going to show off your robot's balancing skills, why not do it by referencing one of the greatest sports movies of all time?