Boston Dynamics a récemment dévoilé une vidéo de son robot humanoïde Atlas, qui effectue des tâches autonomes dans une usine. Ce robot, capable de mouvements inédits, dépasse les capacités humaines, en triant des pièces sans intervention humaine. Bien qu’il s’agisse d’un travail répétitif, cette avancée soulève des questions sur l’avenir de l’emploi, suggérant qu’en 10 à 20 ans, de tels robots pourraient remplacer des travailleurs dans des environnements manufacturiers.
For many years, I have been reassuring individuals that the anticipated robot revolution will not lead to job displacement for humans. This was a belief I held strongly—until this morning.
This week, Boston Dynamics unveiled a new demonstration video featuring its latest Atlas humanoid robot. This newly redesigned Atlas is a significant enhancement over the already impressive original, known for its Parkour abilities. Unlike its predecessor, this version resembles humans more closely, yet it can move in ways that are beyond our capability.
The recent video might seem unexciting on the surface: another humanoid robot tackling mundane tasks we prefer to avoid. In this instance, Atlas is sorting plastic engine covers between a supplier container with horizontal slots and a ‘mobile sequencing dolly’ with vertical slots. The activities take place in what appears to be a manufacturing setting, likely just a warehouse at Boston Dynamics’ development campus.
What stands out in this nearly three-minute video is that Atlas operates entirely autonomously. Unlike the remotely controlled Optimus robots showcased by Elon Musk and Tesla during the ‘We, Robot’ event, Boston Dynamics asserts that there is no external guidance influencing Atlas’ movements or decisions.
In the footage, Atlas approaches a cart filled with plastic engine cover trays. The robot skillfully reaches for one, positioning its two ‘fingers’ beneath the cover and pulling it forward. It then releases its grip, adjusts its hand so one ‘finger’ is on top and the other on the bottom, and successfully retrieves the tray.
If you watched from a distance, you might mistake Atlas for a slowly moving human worker. However, the next sequence reveals otherwise. Atlas adeptly walks backward toward the vertical tray holders, twisting its body as it maneuvers. This capability shows it can achieve movements that are impossible for humans.
Before placing the tray into its new holder, Atlas appears to analyze it. An inset video feed later demonstrates how its vision system assesses the tray’s size and shape.
Atlas continues its task, bending down to reach engine covers on lower shelves. Everything proceeds seamlessly, except for one moment when a tray snags on the edge of a shelf. Instead of a cautious pull, Atlas yanks it back before smoothly inserting the part.
While the video may not seem particularly gripping at first, its implications warrant attention. Robots already play significant roles in manufacturing and warehousing but are typically not used for tasks requiring delicate motor skills or spontaneous decision-making.
This video makes it evident that we are moving toward a future where humanoid robots could work alongside or even replace factory workers. They will perform tasks as efficiently as humans but have the added advantage of being able to navigate backward while pivoting their heads a full 180 degrees.
Moreover, with advances in generative AI, robots like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas could provide updates about their work, respond to queries concerning production metrics, and even engage in light-hearted conversation during lunch breaks (though they won’t eat, they may need to recharge for an hour).
Therefore, I must revise my previous statements regarding robots: While they may not replace our jobs immediately, in 10 to 20 years, you might find yourself searching for a new career path.
Depuis des décennies, j’essaie de rassurer les gens en affirmant que la révolution robotique à venir ne se traduira pas par la perte d’emplois pour les humains. C’était une notion dans laquelle je croyais fermement – jusqu’à ce matin.
Au début de cette semaine, Boston Dynamics a publié une nouvelle vidéo de démonstration de son dernier robot humanoïde, l’Atlas. Révélé cette année, cet Atlas représente une refonte totale et une mise à niveau radicale par rapport à l’original déjà impressionnant et capable de Parkour. Ce nouveau robot ressemble beaucoup plus à nous, bien qu’il puisse se déplacer de manière inédite.
La dernière vidéo est, en quelque sorte, banale : encore un robot humanoïde effectuant des tâches de routine que nous préférerions éviter. Dans ce cas, l’Atlas trie des couvertures de moteur en plastique entre un conteneur de fournisseur avec des fentes horizontales et ce qu’on appelle un « chariot de séquençage mobile » avec des fentes verticales. Ce faisant, il évolue dans le triste décor de ce qui semble être une sorte d’établissement de fabrication, probablement un entrepôt sur le campus de développement de Boston Dynamics.
Ce qui est remarquable dans cette vidéo de près de trois minutes, c’est qu’Atlas fait tout cela de manière autonome. En effet, contrairement aux robots Optimus télécommandés présentés par Elon Musk et Tesla, qui ont été qualifiés d’autodirig