https://www.boston.com/news/technology/2021/08/09/boston-dynamics-60-minutes/
“如果威利旺卡製造機器人，他的工作室可能看起來像這樣，”安德森庫珀在參觀波士頓動力公司的沃爾瑟姆工作室時說。
Cooper 正在參觀“ 60 分鐘”部分，該部分對公司及其栩栩如生的機器人進行了幕後觀察。
名為“波士頓動力：在建造未來機器人的車間內”的片段最初於 3 月播出 - 在安德森訪問幾週後 - 並於昨晚重播。波士頓動力公司也在今天上傳的另一個在線片段中出現，關於他們幫助創建自主火星探測器的努力。
Cooper 與波士頓動力公司的創始人 Mark Raibert 和首席執行官 Robert Playter 以及其他技術人員和員工進行了交談。
以下是我們從這一集中了解到的關於當地機器人公司的信息：
1.“60分鐘”多年來一直試圖進入波士頓動力工作室
Anderson Cooper 開始特別談論“60 分鐘”過去如何“閉門造車”，並且只偶爾發布 YouTube 視頻。庫珀說，多年來，電視節目試圖訪問公司的車間都沒有成功。
“多年來，我們一直試圖進入波士頓動力公司的工作室，但一直沒有運氣，在 3 月份，他們終於同意讓我們進入，”庫珀說。“在製定了嚴格的 COVID 協議後，我們去了馬薩諸塞州，看看他們如何讓機器人完成難以想像的事情。”
2. Atlas，最像人的機器人，使用 Xbox 控制器操控
Atlas可能是波士頓動力公司最複雜的機器人之一：《60 分鐘》稱它為“最像人的機器人”，並稱它像“自動雜技演員”一樣移動。
儘管擁有先進的技術——包括三台機載計算機和一個陀螺儀——但這個人類大小的機器人是由一個普通的視頻遊戲遙控器控制的。
在一個鏡頭中，可以看到技術人員 Bryan Hollingsworth 使用 Xbox 控制器，中間帶有獨特的綠色 x 標誌。
“機器人完全靠自己平衡，靠自己控制，”雷伯特說。“布萊恩只是控制它，告訴它什麼速度和方向。”
3. 波士頓動力公司通過用曲棍球棒推動他們來測試他們的機器人。
技術人員需要測試他們的機器人的平衡，有時這包括用曲棍球棒的末端用力推動他們的機器人。
“凱文·布蘭克斯普 (Kevin Blankespoor) 是這裡的首席工程師之一，但有時，他更喜歡用非常低技術的方法來測試機器人，”庫珀在播放布蘭克斯普 (Blankespoor) 的一段視頻時說道，他用身體猛戳機器人並從他的手中擊中一個盒子。
“我們認為這只是將他們推出舒適區的另一種方式，”布蘭克斯普說。
4、病毒式舞蹈機器人視頻至少用了六個月的頭腦風暴和18個月的時間創作
“我們至少花了六個月，也許八個月，只是為我們要做的事情做準備，”雷伯特說。“然後我們開始讓技術團隊研究這種行為。”
結果？一段近 3 分鐘的視頻，視頻中所有機器人都隨著 Contours 的“Do You Love Me”跳舞。機器人像人類一樣隨著節拍移動，甚至跳出 1960 年代流行的“土豆泥”舞蹈。
Cooper 指出，這個舞蹈項目——雖然既好玩又有趣——卻花費了很多錢，而且花了 18 個月的公司時間。
“這個用機器人做新事情的過程讓你產生新的工具、新的方法、對引導你前進的問題的新理解，”Raibert 說。“但是，伙計，這不是很有趣嗎？”
5. Atlas 和 Spot 有了新的兄弟——'Stretch'
在介紹了波士頓動力的兩款知名機器人 Atlas 和Spot（出售並用於各種任務的類似狗的機器人）之後，《60 分鐘》展示了波士頓動力最新的機器人——Stretch。這個高大的機器人看起來像一個七英尺長的手臂，放在一個移動的箱子上，旨在幫助倉庫自主，並將於明年上市銷售。
“你可以用操縱桿駕駛它，有時，這是設置它的最簡單方法，”布蘭克斯普在移動 Stretch 時說。“但是，一旦它準備好放入卡車並卸下它，您就可以點擊開始，然後它就會自動運行，它會不斷尋找箱子並移動它們，直到它完全通過。”
6.創始人想做有腿的車
在片段的最後一分鐘，Cooper 與 Raibert 談論了他的夢想項目。
“一輛帶有主動懸架的汽車——基本上是腿——就像一個輪滑機器人。像這樣的機器人可以去地球上的任何地方，”雷伯特說。“這是我們可能會在某個時候做的一件事。但實際上，天空才是極限。”
在整個劇集中，Raibert 表達了他對創造像動物和人類一樣有腿的機器人的迷戀，因為它們允許在不平坦的表面上靈活移動，這種設計在 Atlas 和 Spot 中都可以看到。
7. 儘管許多人感到恐懼，但機器人遠未獨立運作
許多Twitter 用戶對機器人動作的類人特性表示驚訝和恐懼。儘管如此，波士頓動力公司表示，這些人認為機器人擁有比他們應有的更多智能。
“流氓機器人的故事是一個強大的故事，它已經被講述了 100 年。但這是小說。機器人沒有代理權，”Playter 說。“他們不會自己決定自己的任務是什麼。他們在編程的狹窄範圍內運作。”
“如果你告訴它在房間裡轉一圈，它可以通過一系列步驟，”Raibert 說。“但如果你讓它去給我找汽水，它不會做那樣的事情。”
“他們以前從未見過機器像這樣移動，”Playter 說。“所以他們想以虛構的方式將智力和情感投射到上面。”
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7 things we learned about Boston Dynamics from ‘60 Minutes’
"If Willy Wonka made robots, his workshop might look something like this."
“If Willy Wonka made robots, his workshop might look something like this,” Anderson Cooper said while touring Boston Dynamics’ Waltham workshop.
Cooper was visiting for a “60 Minutes” segment which gave a behind-the-scenes look at the company and their life-like robots.
The segment titled “Boston Dynamics: Inside the workshop where robots of the future are being built” initially aired in March – a few weeks after Anderson’s visit – and was rebroadcast last night. Boston Dynamics is also featured on another online segment uploaded today, regarding their efforts to help create autonomous Mars rovers.
Cooper talked to Boston Dynamics’ founder, Mark Raibert, and CEO, Robert Playter, as well as other technicians and employees.
Here is what we learned about the local robotics company from the episode:
1. “60 Minutes” has tried to get into the Boston Dynamics workshop for years
Anderson Cooper began the special talking about how “60 Minutes” worked “behind closed doors” in the past and only released occasional YouTube videos. Cooper said the television program unsuccessfully tried to visit the company’s workshop for years.
“We’d been trying without any luck to get into Boston Dynamics’ workshop for years, and in March, they finally agreed to let us in,” Cooper said. “After working out strict COVID protocols we went to Massachusetts to see how they make robots do the unimaginable.”
2. Atlas, the most human looking robot, is steered using an Xbox controller
Atlas may be one of Boston Dynamic’s most complex robots: “60 Minutes” calls it the “most human looking robot” and said it moves like an “automated acrobat.”
Despite advanced technology – including three onboard computers and a gyroscope – the human-sized robot is controlled with a common video game remote.
In one shot, technician Bryan Hollingsworth can be seen using an Xbox controller with the distinctive green x logo in the middle.
“The robot is doing all its own balance, all its own control,” Raibert said. “Bryan’s just steering it, telling it what speed and direction.”
3. Boston Dynamics tests their robots by pushing them with a hockey stick.
Technicians need to test the balance of their robots, and sometimes that includes forcefully pushing their robots with the end of a hockey stick.
“Kevin Blankespoor is one of the lead engineers here, but at times, he prefers a very low-tech approach to testing robots,” said Cooper while playing a segment of Blankespoor physically jabbing the robot and hitting a box out of his hand.
“We think of that as just another way to push them out of the comfort zone,” Blankespoor said.
4. The viral dancing robot video took at least six months to brainstorm and 18 months to create
“We spent at least six months, maybe eight, just preparing for what we were gonna do,” Raibert said. “And then we started to get the technical teams working on the behavior.”
The result? An almost 3-minute video of all their robots dancing to “Do You Love Me” by the Contours. The robots move to the beat like humans and even do the popular 1960’s ‘mashed potatoes’ dance.
Cooper noted how the dancing project – while playful and amusing – cost a lot of money and took 18 months of company time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn3KWM1kuAw
“This process of doing new things with the robots lets you generate new tools, new approaches, new understanding of the problem that takes you forward,” Raibert said. “But, man, isn’t it just fun?”
5. Atlas and Spot have a new sibling — ‘Stretch’
After introducing two of the well-known Boston Dynamic robots, Atlas and Spot (the dog-like robot that is sold and used for a variety of tasks), “60 Minutes” showed off Boston Dynamics’ newest robot – Stretch. The tall robot, which looks like a seven-foot arm on a moving box, is designed to help warehouses autonomously and will be on sale next year.
“You can drive it around with a joystick and at times, that’s the easiest way to get it set up,” Blankespoor said while moving Stretch. “But once it’s ready to go in a truck and unload it, you hit go and from there on it’s autonomous and it’ll keep finding boxes and moving ’em until it’s all the way through.”
6. The founder wants to make a car with legs
During the last minute of the segment, Cooper talks to Raibert about his dream project.
“A car with an active suspension – essentially legs – like a roller skating robot. And a robot like that could go anywhere on earth,” Raibert said. “That’s one thing that maybe we’ll do at some point. But really, the sky’s the limit.”
Throughout the episode, Raibert expressed his fascination with creating robots with legs like animals and humans because they allow versatile mobility over uneven surfaces, a design that can be seen in both Atlas and Spot.
7. The robots are far from functioning independently, despite many people’s fear
Many Twitter users have reacted in both amazement and fear over the human-like qualities of the robots’ movements. Nevertheless, Boston Dynamics said these people are attributing more intelligence to the robots than they should.
“The rogue robot story is a powerful story and it’s been told for 100 years. But it’s fiction. Robots don’t have agency,” Playter said. “They don’t make up their own minds about what their tasks are. They operate within a narrow bound of their programming.”
“If you told it to travel in a circle in the room it can go through the sequence of steps,” Raibert said. “But if you ask it to go find me a soda, it’s not doing anything like that.”
“They haven’t seen machines move like this before,” Playter said. “And so they want to project intelligence and emotion onto that in ways that are fiction.”
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