First robot to participate in Ultra Trail

Boston Dynamics have decided to test Atlas, the most dynamic humanoid robot, at the Crossing Switzerland Ultra Trail run from Vaduz, Liechtenstein to Montreux over a distance of 390 km.
Scott Kuindersma from Boston Dynamics says that the current model is capable of recognizing all objects facing the robot and make the right decisions due to Atlas’s advanced control system and state-of-the-art hardware to balance and to demonstrate human-level agility. The robot has built in GPS and navigates using the official provided GPX file. 
On some parts of the existing track the robot will be moved by members of Boston Dynamics due to extreme steep or small passages. The robot needs at least 90 cm of space around it to move.

With a speed of 2.5 meter/sec (9 km/hr) the robot is expected to arrive at the finish line in Montreux under 50 hours. That would be around 25 hours before the first human participant arrives at the finish line. The battery life is approx. 4 hours depending the difficulty the robot is facing. The change of pack requires at least 15 minutes including a reset and reloading of the GPX coordinates. All in all it will be exciting to see who will finish first. Boston Dynamics will have a team of no less than 80 engineers to study the experiment and 3 spare robots in case of problems. 

What will it be? Robot or human? 

Watch the 2 videos of the earlier version of Atlas preparing for the race!

More information about Boston Dynamics: www.bostondynamics.com/atlas

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