--- title: "Hilarious Video Shows Boston Dynamics Robot Failing Horribly" description: "Atlas, Boston Dynamics' bipedal, humanoid robot, is not above falling flat on its face, or on its ass, or just freezing up like an idiot." date: "2023-01-28" modified: "2023-01-28" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/boston-dynamics-robot-failing" categories: - "Boston Dynamics" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "atlas robot" - "boston dynamics" - "robots" - "the digest" --- # Hilarious Video Shows Boston Dynamics Robot Failing Horribly ![Atlas, Boston Dynamics' bipedal, humanoid robot, is not above falling flat on its face, or on its ass, or just freezing up like an idiot.]() *\Image: Boston Dynamics\* ## Gag Reel Last week, Boston Dynamics shared a video of its humanoid robot [Atlas showing off in a mock construction site](). The crafty bipedal bot navigated a series of obstacles to toss a bag of tools to a human construction worker up on some scaffolding a, and then performed a deft backflip for good measure. But, as suspected, it took the robot a few takes before it could do the whole performance flawlessly. On Thursday, Boston Dynamics tweeted out a video of some behind the scenes bloopers, and they're absolutely comical. Though whether you're laughing because you find Atlas adorable or because you're fueled by fear of such eerily humanoid robots that could end up being our "Terminator"-style oppressors — well, we won't judge. https://twitter.com/BostonDynamics/status/1618619858978996225 ## Safety First Atlas miserably fails in all sorts of ways that most of us can probably relate to, like tripping over itself while scooting backwards and then falling on its ass. Or doing an impressive trick like a backflip and then fumbling its celebration right after. Or just, y'know, freezing up when everyone's watching. In addition to reminding us that these robots have a way to go before becoming humanity's unerring arbiters, Atlas's workplace mishaps also spotlight the [multiple OSHA violations]() identified after the original video's release. Take Atlas jauntily galloping up to an unsecured plank of wood serving as a bridge and then immediately tumbling off on a step that completely misses. That's why you have walkways that are at least a foot and a half wide, provide guard rails, and provide fall protection in case everything goes wrong. There's also when Atlas seems to lose its bearings after doing a backflip — you're supposed to train employees so they know not to do something so reckless on a construction site. **More on robots:** *[Scientists Create Shape-Shifting Robot That Can Melt Through Prison Bars]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()