Miscellaneous


Why Humanoids Are the Future of Manufacturing | Boston Dynamics Webinar

Nov 18, 2025

Humanoid robots have long captured our imagination. Interest has skyrocketed along with the perception that robots are getting closer to taking on a wide range of labor-intensive tasks. What is driving this vision is not a preference for the human form but a recognition that humans are generalists—adaptable, quick to learn, and effortlessly retaskable.

This stands in contrast with decades of industrial automation, which have led to enormous gains in productivity by narrowing the scope of solutions to well-bounded tasks. However, designing systems that can scale economically to address the high diversity and stiff requirements of industrial labor tasks remains a significant open challenge.

In this discussion, we reflect on what we’ve learned by observing factory floors, and why we’ve grown convinced that chasing generalization in manipulation—both in hardware and behavior—isn’t just interesting, but necessary. We’ll discuss AI research threads we’re exploring at Boston Dynamics to push this mission forward, and highlight opportunities our field should collectively invest more in to turn the humanoid vision, and the reinvention of manufacturing, into a practical, economically viable product.

About the Presenters

Alberto Rodriguez
Director of Robot Behavior, Atlas

Alberto Rodriguez is the Director of Robot Behavior in the Atlas humanoid project at Boston Dynamics, where he leads teams working in controls, perception, planning, and machine learning behavior to bring the Atlas humanoid to scale. Alberto enjoys working at the intersection of hardware and software to build robots with physical intelligence. Before joining Boston Dynamics, he was a faculty member at the Mechanical Engineering Department at MIT and Director of the MCube Lab.

Aya Durbin
Product Lead, Humanoid Applications

Aya Durbin is a product leader recognized for transforming complex robotic technologies into intuitive, high-impact products that solve real-world problems. With a career spanning the evolution of automation and humanoid systems, she has built a reputation for bridging the gap between cutting-edge engineering and customer value. At 6 River Systems, Aya led the product vision for warehouse automation solutions that redefined efficiency in the logistics industry. Following the company’s acquisition by Shopify, she designed and deliver scalable fulfillment products supporting over 100 warehouses across North America and Europe. Now at Boston Dynamics, Aya leads the Atlas application strategy, shaping how humanoid robots can seamlessly integrate into human environments and bring meaningful value to people’s everyday work.
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A robot learns to lip sync

Jan 14, 2026

Columbia Engineers build a robot that, for the first time, is able to learn facial lip motions for tasks such as speech and singing. In a new study published in Science Robotics, the researchers demonstrate how their robot used its abilities to articulate words in a variety of languages, and even sing a song out of its AI-generated debut album “hello world_.”

The robot acquired this ability through observational learning rather than via rules. It first learned how to use its 26 facial motors by watching its own reflection in the mirror before learning to imitate human lip motion by watching hours of YouTube videos.
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Article "Lip-Syncing Robot Face Is a Step Towards Helping Future Bots Talk Like Us"
If they're going to live and work with us, maybe humanoid robots should talk like us, too.

by Julian Dossett
January 19, 2026
 
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Our latest reports on robots | 60 Minutes Full Episodes

Feb 14, 2026

From January, Bill Whitaker's look at the progress made on AI-powered humanoid robots. From last August, Scott Pelley's report on what's next for AI at Google DeepMind. Also from last August, Sharyn Alfonsi's report on why Palmer Luckey thinks AI-powered, autonomous weapons are the future of warfare. And from last June, Whitaker's report on robots making art.

0:00 Intro
0:11 Here Come the Humanoids
13:18 Demis Hassabis
27:11 Future of Warfare
40:25 Robo
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Vertical HD: Incredible Robot Martial Artists Wow Spring Festival Crowd
Feb 18, 2026

Tradition meets technology in a stunning showcase at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala by China Media Group. This year's gala features robots performing synchronized martial arts routines alongside children, highlighting a bold fusion of heritage and high-tech innovation.
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Humanoid robots, kung fu masters blend cultural heritage with tech at Spring Festival Gala

Feb 19, 2026

At this year's Spring Festival Gala, traditional kung fu artists shared the stage with an unexpected partner, robots. The Wu BOT performance featured dozens of humanoid machines moving in sync with martial artists, presenting a blend of cultural heritage and cutting-edge technology.
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