Boston Dynamics Atlas Robot Ad Backfires As Many OSHA Violations Spotted

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Hat tip: a mailing list I'm on

Boston Dynamics Atlas Robot Ad Backfires As Many OSHA Violations Spotted

Wonderful Engineering January 25, 2023

Boston Dynamics’ handy bipedal robot Atlas deftly threw an entire bag of tools to a human construction worker who was standing on top of some scaffolding above. While the ad was very clever, this particular scene broke more than a few Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, problematizing {sic} a pathway for Atlas to join a safe, professional work environment. Glitch artist Hacer Kun made note of the specific violations.

The company intentionally chose a construction zone as the setting, featuring scaffolding and tools, since Atlas isn’t exactly required to wear steel-toed boots or a hard hat, but they should’ve made Atlas comply with safety regulations like any of its human counterparts.

Originally, the video titled “Atlas Gets a Grip,” Boston Dynamics set up an obstacle course for its robot, ranging from a haphazardly placed piece of lumber to a giant wooden crate standing on top of the scaffolding. This already portrayed a dangerous and unsafe working environment.

This was late pointed out by Hacer who points out a video in reply to the original with all the violations of OSHA.

Here's every single OSHA violation that happens in the latest Boston Dynamics video

Link to tweet

{snip}

[Orrex]

1. This is the first I've heard the term "glitch artist"

I like it!

[LonePirate]

2. This is all kinds of awesome.

[chia]

3. Boston Dynamics sees humor in those robots but to me, they're the stuff of nightmares because

I keep thinking about how they'd be used in warfare. After seeing Black Mirror's Metalhead episode I could never look at their 'dogs' the same way again. Sure there are plenty of benign or humane uses for robots but it's hard for me to see the good outweighing the bad.

[Warpy]

4. Ever watch Battlebots?

That day is already here, the Ukrainians using hobby drones to great effectiveness, along with semi submersible drones. Cruise missiles fired from tens of miles away and guided by men hundreds of miles away are already here, along with the cruder suicide drones supplied by Iran. Warfare is increasingly being fought by machines but Russia hasn't quite finished reading the memo as it keeps sending waves of young guys to be slaughtered quickly while it throws its explosives at civilians. It's why they'll be defeated.

The next war will arrive at supersonic speed and we'll never see it coming. It's why we need to prevent it.

The real concern here is how much work in the future will be done by robots. I'm all for robots doing the real bull work, the kind that makes construction workers old men by their late 40s. It might be the one thing that allows cookie cutter affordable housing to be constructed. The mansions will still require craftsmen wrecking their bodies.