As you may have guessed, the “Bosstown Dynamics” video is a parody. It was made by a VFX crew called Corridor Digital with a knack for making funny videos featuring really cool special effects. One of the creators, in a behind-the-scenes video, stated the impetus for the parody came from seeing roboticists demonstrate their machines’ resilience to interference: The results are hilarious, but even more impressive than the comedic stylings of the Corridor Crew are its talent at visual effects. No real robots were harmed in the making of this video because none were used. You’re seeing a human in a motion-capture suit with CGI effects added to make it appear as though he’s a Boston Dynamics robot. Check out this rad side-by-side comparison: As funny as Corridor Digital’s videos are, you certainly don’t have to turn to parody to get a laugh from modern robotics. It turns out Boston Dynamics has a sense of humor about these things too, as is evident in this classic: And for those who feel sorry for abused robots either fictional or real, it’s important to remember that stress-testing is a necessary component of engineering. Boston Dynamics puts their machines through torture for the same reason car manufacturers smash the hell out of crash-test dummies: to save lives. Eventually these robots could end up in situations where their ability to operate in adverse environments could be a matter of life and death for humans. So relax and indulge. Here’s even more mindless machines getting hurt in hilarious videos for you to enjoy. For a deeper look at the making of the Bosstown Dynamics parody check out the full behind-the-scenes video here. And for more information about the real Boston Dynamics, visit the company’s website.
