Oh Good, the Robots From Boston Dynamics Can Dance Now, Too

Atlas robot doing parkour (Image: Boston Dynamics)

Boston Dynamics robots might one day take our jobs, but until then, how about a dance party?

The robotics firm today released a three-minute video featuring its Atlas robot dancing to "Do You Love Me?" It's eventually joined by another Atlas and robot dog Spot, who do the running man and other fancy footwork (ballet leg extensions or Karate Kid crane kicks?). A Handle robot emerges later with some moves of its own.

Boston Dynamics says the video is intended "to celebrate the start of what we hope will be a happier year." It's certainly an impressive feat, but it prompted the usual "robot overlord" concerns on social media. It's nice to know that when they finally vanquish us all, the androids will know how to celebrate.

There are no humans in the clip, save for a lone, masked employee taking in the spectacle from a socially distant viewing deck.

The video comes about two weeks after Hyundai Motor Group bought a controlling interest in Boston Dynamics for $1.1 billion. Hyundai Motor Group will have an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics while SoftBank, through an affiliate, will retain a 20% stake. SoftBank acquired Boston Dynamics from Google parent Alphabet in 2017.

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I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

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Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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