Tech

These 6 robots made by Google's parent company will amaze and terrify you

Ben Gilbert

2015-08-18T21:19:00Z

There are now robots that move almost exactly like humans. Don't believe me? Look no further than Boston Dynamics' "Atlas" robot for proof:

Okay, okay – Atlas is a bit more "drunk human" than human in its movement, but it's incredibly impressive nonetheless. Again, don't take it from us. Here's what Stuart Russell, a University of California computer science professor who studies AI, told Tech Insider about Boston Dynamics' incredible robots:

Leg locomotion was, for decades, thought to be an incredibly difficult problem. There has been very, very painstakingly slow progress there, and robots that essentially lumbered along at one step every 15 seconds and occasionally fell over.

That was his answer, unprompted, when asked about "the most mind-blowing thing you’ve learned during your career." If it impresses a man who deals in human consciousness, who can explain "the singularity," who are we to shrug it off?

Follow us below for a more thorough demonstration of Boston Dynamics' (owned by Google's recently spun off parent company, Alphabet) mind-blowing robots.

And maybe start preparing your life for the impending robot future? If nothing else, learn the three rules.

The "Sand Flea"

Leap!

It's not just buildings that the Flea can leap onto – how about this rocky ridge?

No sweat! (Literally.)

The "RHex" Rough-Terrain robot

The "RHex" Rough-Terrain robot may have the silliest name of all, but it's the only one that can navigate tiny, water-filled passages.

And emerge victorious on the other side. This thing is no joke.

Here's the full video of the RHex in action:

The "Cheetah"

"But these robots aren't so fast. I can outrun them." WRONG, friend. The "Cheetah" is faster than the actual fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt. Good luck!

This guy reaches a top speed of 29.3 MPH without breaking a sweat.

Here's the full Cheetah video, which is just as thrilling as you might imagine:

The "Petman"

Petman is where things get extra weird. This guy is humanoid, and most clearly demonstrates where robotics is going. He can walk – er, stomp around:

And he can complete human-like actions, which require serious computation for balance:

Here's Petman in action, demonstrating what happens when you put camouflage on a humanoid robot:

The "Spot"

"Spot" is especially impressive because it doesn't require a motor, and therefore can sneak around somewhere like, say, an office:

No matter what you see scientists do, DO NOT kick autonomous robots. Don't even push them. Who do you think you are, anyway?

Here's more from Spot, including climbing hills and reactive balance. This stuff may seem normal to you and me, but it's really tough to get robots to pull off:

The "Atlas"

Atlas can take a casual stroll through the woods:

And Atlas can crawl through thick brush. He can walk across rocky terrain. He looks like a he:

Though Atlas still requires cables to power him, his autonomy is clear. With the right battery pack, Atlas could be the robot butler you're looking for. Or the unstoppable killing machine you're looking for. Either way, really.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

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