The hydraulic Atlas was Boston Dynamics' bipedal humanoid, built for DARPA and unveiled in July 2013. For more than a decade it served as a research platform, first for DARPA Robotics Challenge teams and then for Boston Dynamics itself, whose later generations ran, flipped and did parkour on video. The company retired it in April 2024 in favour of an all-electric Atlas.
History and launch
Atlas grew out of PETMAN, a robot Boston Dynamics built for the US Army to test chemical protective suits. DARPA then picked the company to build a humanoid for the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), which asked robots to perform disaster-response tasks.
DARPA announced Atlas on 11 July 2013. Three days earlier, the seven teams that had won the simulation-based Virtual Robotics Challenge met the robot at Boston Dynamics' headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts. Their job was to move software developed in simulation onto real hardware ahead of the DRC Trials in Homestead, Florida, in December 2013.
For the DRC Finals, an upgrade known as Atlas Unplugged was announced in January 2015. Reports at the time said it was about 75% new, keeping only the lower legs and feet, and it added onboard power and wireless communication because finalists in Pomona (5-6 June 2015) had to run without power cords, fall arrestors or data tethers.
Design and hardware
DARPA described the 2013 robot as six feet two inches tall (about 188 cm) and 330 lb (about 150 kg), with 28 hydraulically actuated joints, an onboard real-time control computer, a hydraulic pump and thermal management. A Carnegie Robotics sensor head provided LIDAR and stereo vision, and two hand options came from iRobot and Sandia National Laboratories. The first version drew power through a tether.
Atlas Unplugged added a 3.7 kWh lithium-ion battery, rated for roughly an hour of mixed walking, standing and tool use, plus a new variable-pressure pump.
In February 2016 Boston Dynamics introduced a smaller, completely redesigned generation: battery powered but still hydraulically actuated. Engadget put it at about 5 ft 9 in and 180 lb (about 82 kg), with balance sensors in the body and legs and LIDAR plus stereo cameras in the head. This line later performed the backflips and parkour routines.
Software and AI
During the DRC each team wrote its own control software, with technical support from Boston Dynamics. Afterwards the company used Atlas as an in-house research platform. Describing its 2021 parkour work, the team explained a shift from pre-scripted sequences to perception-driven behaviour: the robot matches a small library of template moves (jumps, vaults, beam walks) to what it sees and runs them online. New behaviours were checked in simulation before hardware testing.
Applications and deployments
The hydraulic Atlas was never sold commercially. A fleet was supplied to DARPA-funded DRC teams, and Boston Dynamics later used the robot for research into dynamic locomotion and manipulation, releasing new running, jumping, dancing or parkour videos roughly every six months.
IEEE Spectrum noted that hydraulic robots are hard to turn into products, partly because they leak fluid, whereas the electric Spot quadruped, which built on earlier hydraulic research, became a commercial success.
Manufacturer
Boston Dynamics is based in Waltham, Massachusetts, and is known for legged robots including Spot and Stretch. It built Atlas under contract to DARPA and kept developing it after the programme ended.
Retirement and successor
On 16 April 2024 Boston Dynamics posted "Farewell to HD Atlas", a reel of highlights and failures that included falls and burst hydraulic lines. The company said that after almost a decade of inspiring roboticists it was time for the hydraulic Atlas to "kick back and relax". A day later it unveiled a new all-electric Atlas aimed at commercial use.
Timeline
- 2013-07 DARPA and Boston Dynamics present Atlas to DRC teams
- 2013-12 DRC Trials in Homestead, Florida
- 2015-01 Atlas Unplugged upgrade with a 3.7 kWh battery
- 2015-06 DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals in Pomona, California
- 2016-02 Smaller, battery-powered next-generation Atlas (about 82 kg)
- 2021-08 Perception-driven parkour video
- 2024-04 Hydraulic Atlas retired
Sources
- Atlas Robot Unveiled, DARPA (2013-07-11)
- DARPA's Upgraded Atlas Robot Has Onboard Power and Wireless Communication, Tech Briefs (2015-01)
- Boston Dynamics presents the 'next generation' Atlas robot, Engadget (2016-02-23)
- Leaps, Bounds, and Backflips, Boston Dynamics (2021-08)
- Boston Dynamics Retires Its Legendary Humanoid Robot, IEEE Spectrum (2024-04-16)
- Boston Dynamics retires dancing Atlas robot and debuts its electric replacement, Freethink (2024-04)
Updated: 2026-10-10
Verification and limitations
This entry requires an up-to-date manufacturer specification check.
MERA field measurement report: not published. Demonstration footage and manufacturer specifications are not a MERA test under event conditions.
Data and provenance for AI agents ↗Compared with the catalogue
- At 188 cm the Boston Dynamics Atlas (2013) is taller than 97% of the humanoids in the catalogue (median: 170 cm).
- It has 28 degrees of freedom against a catalogue median of 28; more degrees of freedom usually means finer arm and hand movement.
- Its weight of 150 kg (catalogue median: 65 kg) matters for transport and for working around people.
- It is one of 2 Boston Dynamics models in the catalogue and one of 43 humanoids from USA.
Capabilities
Frequently asked questions
How much did the original Atlas weigh?
DARPA listed 330 lb (about 150 kg) at a height of 6 ft 2 in (188 cm).
Was Atlas hydraulic?
Yes. Every Atlas until 2024 used hydraulic joint actuators; the 2024 Atlas is electric.
Why did Boston Dynamics retire the hydraulic Atlas?
The company gave no detailed reason. Observers point out that hydraulic robots are hard to commercialise, and the new electric Atlas is intended for industry.
Could you buy an Atlas?
No. It was a research platform, supplied to DARPA-funded teams during the DRC.
What was Atlas built for?
The DARPA Robotics Challenge, which tested robots on disaster-response tasks.
How much does the Boston Dynamics Atlas (2013) cost?
The manufacturer has not published a price for the Boston Dynamics Atlas (2013). You can send a purchase enquiry through MERA Robotics.
Is the Boston Dynamics Atlas (2013) available to buy?
Status: Obsolete: the model has been retired or replaced by a newer version.
How tall and heavy is the Boston Dynamics Atlas (2013)?
Height: 188 cm, weight: 150 kg, degrees of freedom: 28.
How do I buy the Boston Dynamics Atlas (2013) through MERA Robotics?
Click “I want to buy” or fill in the form on this page. MERA Robotics will reply whether and on what terms the model is available and can help deploy it with the MERA OS conversation system.
Data: Boston Dynamics. Specs from the manufacturer; they may change, always confirm with the manufacturer before buying.
