Organization: Boston Dynamics
Country: U.S.
Website: bostondynamics.com
Year Founded: 1992
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Technology
Boston Dynamics Inc. has pioneered legged mobility with its Spot and Atlas robots. Last year, the Waltham, Mass.-based company set new benchmarks for robot agility with its fully electric Atlas humanoid. Previous models used hydraulics, which were bulkier and less energy-efficient.
Building on more than three decades of research and development, Boston Dynamics received recognition for the agility of the HD Atlas model in last year’s RBR50 awards.
The next-generation Atlas has already demonstrated more advanced mobility, strength, and dexterity than its predecessors, said the company. In popular YouTube videos, the robot has done pushups and sequenced automotive parts.
Boston Dynamics added that its latest humanoid can perform tasks that surpass human capabilities, such as lifting and transporting heavy, irregular objects.
It also claimed that the electric version of Atlas is more sustainable and safer than its predecessors. The robot is designed to help industry, benefit society, and operate in environments built for humans, “navigating with purpose and fluidity,” said Boston Dynamics.
In addition, the company said it expects to put Atlas in commercial trials with parent company Hyundai Motor and select partners in 2025.
“We’re beginning in their factory,” Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, told The Robot Report. “In addition to the target application of a lot of parts movement — a special kind of logistics in automotive production — I think that will evolve as the dexterity of the robots improves over time.”
Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics, will present a keynote about redesigning Atlas and the future of humanoid robots at the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston.
Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2025