When I say I got to know Boston Dynamics' new Atlas robot, I mean I actually held its hands. This humanoid robot that CNET just awarded Best Robot CES Awardis one of the most advanced in the world, and I could not miss the opportunity to get to know it better.
This version of the robot, which should be sent to Hyundai factories soon to start working, has been the subject of speculation. KES this year. The particular Atlas robot I encountered was a static model that was not turned on or completely inoperable. Therefore, our interaction was, unfortunately, one-sided. Still, I ran my hands over its soft-touch plastic body and gently touched my knuckles, wondering what it would feel like if they grabbed me back.
Atlas's hands are one of the most human things about him.
People tend to have different feelings about humanoid robots, which is understandable given that they are to some extent created in our image and likeness, but are also usually stronger than us, with “brains” that we do not fully understand. Atlas definitely gives me conflicting emotions, especially when I stood face to face with it.
I'm excited about engineering, a little wary of its possibilities, doubtful about what it might mean for the future of humanity, and fascinated by its design and style. The periwinkle blue version of the Atlas that I came across at an exhibition in CES 2026 almost looks more like a Dyson product than the industrial robots that defined the early days of Boston Dynamics, when it was best known for its collaboration with DARPA.
Check this out: Atlas has left the laboratory! Boston Dynamics Humanoid personal demo
“There are a lot of really special features about this robot that probably look a little strange,” said Zachary Jackowski, Boston Dynamics vice president and general manager of Atlas. He pointed to the legs, which he said were “unlike anything anyone else has ever done.”
Atlas's thighs are narrow and in line with his torso, while his calves are wider and are attached to their upper counterparts by a circular joint. In fact, this robot is made up of subtle curves and soft lines. There are no sharp edges or sharp corners.
In a year where CES has been flooded with humanoid robots, Atlas definitely stands out with its design. It looks less human and less industrial than some of its peers, but it also lacks the often scary, faceless faces they usually display. Instead, it has two low-lying eye-like chambers located where the mouth would normally be. His face is a perfect flat circle, bordered by an LED halo that gives him some Pixar lamp effect.
Atlas's face is anthropomorphic, but not human.
I asked Jackowski why Boston Dynamics decided to make this version of their humanoid so inhuman. “Well, it’s not a person,” he said. “The first impression of a robot is incorrect if it pretends to be something it is not.”
He added that especially in the early days of humanoids, robots will not have anything resembling human intelligence. People should look at it and see it for what it is – a tool for getting things done safely and efficiently.
In fact, most of the design decisions were made to make Atlas as simple, scalable, and secure as possible, Jackowski said. I note that there is some irony in thinking of a humanoid robot as a mere human, given the complexity of the technology and development process required to bring the Atlas to life.
The key to making it simple, Jackowski says, is to understand the technology deeply enough to “accomplish the complex task of building a humanoid robot” but then be able to take it apart and realize that you can use fewer computers and drives in it and still achieve the same results.
And it's very important to Boston Dynamics that Atlas be perceived as a simple product. After all, this is a general purpose humanoid that could eventually be sent everywhere to fill a variety of roles. Jackowski calls him an “absolute universalist.”
Atlas's strength and repairability set him apart from other humanoids.
Beyond its simplicity, there are aspects of Atlas that Jackowski believes set him apart from other humanoids on the show. “The repairability of this robot is insanely good,” he said. “The opening hours are insanely good. Strength is like nothing else.”
From working in Hyundai manufacturing plants, Atlas' work trajectory is to eventually move into many of the same industrial environments that Boston Dynamics' Spot robot operates in, before moving on to service industry desks and eventually the home. According to Jackowski, the robot will evolve from time to time. However, this could be the first glimpse of the type of humanoid that will eventually become our housemate.
Although it's far away, it's probably for the best. When I look at Atlas, who I think is about the same height as my husband, I have a feeling that no matter how impressive Atlas is, I'm still not ready for him to come in.
