Robotics

Atlas has some serious soccer skills. Learning them involved "massive trial and error."

• Atlas achieved soccer skills through 'massive trial and error' using reinforcement learning and model-predictive control, iterating through thousands of simulations and physical tests.
• The robot can dribble, pass, and shoot a soccer ball on grass while maintaining dynamic balance and real-time decision-making — a first for a full-size humanoid.
• Boston Dynamics has been developing Atlas since 2013 under DARPA funding; the platform is now owned by Hyundai Motor Group and acts as a research testbed for advanced locomotion.