--- title: "The Way Boston Dynamics’ New Robot Moves Is Skin-Crawlingly Unnatural" description: "During a live demo at this year's CES convention in Las Vegas, Boston Dynamics showed off the unnerving agility of its humanoid Atlas robot." date: "2026-01-07" modified: "2026-01-07" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/boston-dynamics-new-demo" categories: - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" --- # The Way Boston Dynamics’ New Robot Moves Is Skin-Crawlingly Unnatural ![During a live demo at this year's CES convention in Las Vegas, Boston Dynamics showed off the unnerving agility of its humanoid Atlas robot.]() *Boston Dynamics* Not everybody agrees that replicating the four-limbed, bipedal shape of a human should be replicated in robot form. For one, walking with two feet is inherently less stable than four, nevermind a set of wheels. Replicating the dexterity and fine motor skills of human hands also remains a major challenge. In a modified approach, Boston Dynamics has clearly decided to loosen up some of the restrictions of the human form. During an [on-stage demonstration at this year's CES convention]() in Las Vegas, Boston Dynamics showed off the agility of its humanoid Atlas robot — albeit with an unnerving degree of freedom of movement that dispels the illusion of a human entity. Key to the demo is that the robot features clever joints that allow for "[continuous rotation]()." In effect, its hips, wrists, and neck can swivel a full 360 degrees unimpeded. After confidently strutting to the front of the stage, Atlas starts twisting its hands like a drill, rotating its head like the girl in "The Exorcist," and even turning its entire torso around in a dizzying maneuver — a clear indication that Boston Dynamics isn't planning to be boxed in by the limitations of human anatomy. "There's more to it than just copying nature," Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter said during the announcement. "We can pick the best parts of what nature has to offer and do better in others." https://twitter.com/IntuitMachine/status/2008324310230851697 The demo was part of Boston Dynamics' announcement of a production-ready version of its Atlas robot. The Hyundai-owned firm also [announced a partnership]() with Google's DeepMind to bring AI smarts to its bots as well. The firm claimed that it's already working on a robot that can be deployed in a car factory. The plan is to deploy it at Hyundai's EV manufacturing facility by 2028. However, pricing and an availability date for the six-foot-two, 200-pound robot have yet to be revealed. Beyond spinning its head and hands around freely, Boston Dynamics has shown how Atlas can [manipulate car parts]() and even [perform slick breakdancing moves](). "Atlas is going to revolutionize the way industry works, and it marks the first step toward a long-term goal we have dreamed about since we were children," Playter boasted on stage. Yet many questions remain about the tech's long-term viability. For one, not everybody agrees that they make the most sense when it comes to actually replacing human labor. Experts have also warned that humanoid robots [could be the next financial bubble](). When or if bipedal robots will be the form factor of choice, particularly when it comes to industrial settings, remains a subject of debate. "I think the question comes back to what are the use cases and where is the applicability of the technology," McKinsey partner Alex Panas [told *NBC News*](). "In some cases, it may look more humanoid. In some cases, it may not." Judging by its latest demo, Boston Dynamics is playing it safe by taking some liberties. **More on Boston Dynamics:** [*Bonkers Video Shows Boston Dynamics Robot Breakdancing*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()