BOSTON (Oct. 16, 2024) – Boston Dynamics and the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) have unveiled a collaborative partnership that merges their expertise in artificial intelligence and robotics. This initiative aims to accelerate the creation of general-purpose humanoid robots, leveraging TRI’s Large Behavior Models alongside Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot.

“We are at a thrilling juncture in the robotics sector, and we are eager to collaborate with TRI to expedite the development of versatile humanoid robots,” stated Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics. “This partnership exemplifies how two organizations with a robust research and development background can unite to tackle complex challenges and create practical robots that address real-world needs.”

Gill Pratt, chief scientist for Toyota and CEO of TRI, commented, “Recent breakthroughs in AI and machine learning have vast potential for enhancing physical intelligence. Collaborating with Boston Dynamics to integrate TRI’s cutting-edge AI technology with their hardware represents a transformative opportunity for both organizations as we aim to augment human capabilities and enhance quality of life.”

Boston Dynamics has built a strong reputation for pioneering advancements in humanoid robotics, focusing on mobility and bimanual manipulation. The newest version of the Atlas robot results from extensive hardware and software co-design, positioning it as an ideal platform for developing AI-driven manipulation skills.

Simultaneously, TRI is recognized globally for its rapid progress in Large Behavior Models (LBMs) for robotics, including significant contributions to diffusion policy, which successfully applies generative AI to enhance robotic dexterity. TRI has also led the development of open-source robot AI models and datasets. Their work on LBMs seeks to create multi-task, vision-and-language-conditioned foundation models tailored for dexterous manipulation.

Scott Kuindersma, senior director of Robotics Research at Boston Dynamics, and Russ Tedrake, vice president of Robotics Research at TRI, will co-lead the Boston-based research initiative.

This project is designed to equally harness the strengths and expertise of both partners. The innovative electric Atlas robot’s physical capabilities, combined with the ability to programmatically command a wide array of bimanual manipulation behaviors, will enable research teams to deploy the robot for various tasks and gather performance data. This information will facilitate the training of advanced LBMs, employing rigorous hardware and simulation evaluations to demonstrate how large, pre-trained models can quickly acquire robust, dexterous whole-body skills.

The collaborative team will also investigate critical training questions related to humanoid robots, whole-body sensing capabilities, and human-robot interaction to ensure safety and reliability for these emerging technologies.

About Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics is the leading global innovator in creating and deploying highly mobile robots that can address the most challenging industrial tasks. Our robots feature advanced mobility, dexterity, and intelligence, enabling automation in complex environments, including manufacturing, power generation, construction, and logistics. Our portfolio includes three robots: Spot®, a quadruped designed for industrial inspections; Stretch®, a box-moving robot used by logistics and retail customers; and Atlas®, our humanoid platform currently under development. For more information about our company and technologies, visit [www.bostondynamics.com](http://www.bostondynamics.com).

About Toyota Research Institute

The Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is dedicated to enhancing human abilities, with a focus on creating safer and more sustainable lives. Under the leadership of Dr. Gill Pratt, TRI’s researchers develop technologies that advance energy and materials, human-centered AI, interactive driving, and robotics. Founded in 2016, TRI operates offices in Los Altos, California, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.