Waking up this morning felt like entering an alternate universe—every humanoid robot on Earth is now doing flips! In the newest robotics showdown, Unitree Robotics just dropped a bombshell video: their humanoid robot pulled off a flawless side-flip in mid-air, no hands needed. It’s seriously impressive.
Yet within just 12 hours of Unitree’s spectacular feat, the iconic Boston Dynamics responded with their own flashy robot video. Their famous Atlas robot executed some breathtaking moves too, including a similar sideways flip, along with other remarkable human-like tricks. But who’s really winning this flip battle?
Let’s Break Down the Moves of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas
The Atlas robot started gently, casually strolling onto the stage—almost human-like. 
Then suddenly, Atlas picked up speed and dashed forward impressively.
But wait—then came this mysterious crawling scene, reminiscent of a stealth video game maneuver.
Next, Atlas executed what seemed like a slightly shaky tactical roll, giving the impression it might lose its balance.
Forward Flip or Half-Flip?
Watching closely, you’ll see Atlas needed to plant both hands firmly on the ground to complete a forward flip—more of a gymnastics move than a true airborne flip. Replay it at 0.5x speed, and you’ll spot something odd: Atlas’s legs completed the rotation, but its upper body still faced the original direction. Strange, right?
Contrast this with DeepRobotics‘ recent front flip, clearly more fluid and airborne without awkward support moves.
Atlas Breakdance Time—Better Than Olympic-Level Dancing?
Then, things got funky as Atlas showed off some wild dance moves. One viewer joked that Atlas’ breakdancing wasn’t the worst they’d ever seen—especially recalling Australian athlete Rachael Gunn’s unforgettable breakdance performance at the last Olympics in Paris. She famously received zero votes from all nine judges yet gained widespread fame online. If Atlas entered the Olympics, Gunn might finally find a worthy competitor!
Side Flip Showdown: Atlas vs Unitree G1
the critical side-flip comparison. Atlas performed a side-flip that required hand support—a “side handspring,” technically speaking. On the other hand, Unitree’s humanoid robot, G1, achieved a complete aerial side-flip, landing perfectly without touching the ground with its hands. Pure gymnastics gold!
Clearly, Unitree takes this round, showcasing superior agility and balance.
Reinforcement Learning: The Secret Sauce
Boston Dynamics explained that Atlas’ performance was based on reinforcement learning strategies developed using motion capture suits. They collaborated closely with the RAI Institute, whose stated mission is to tackle the most fundamental problems in AI and robotics.
RAI Institute further revealed on their 𝕏 account that reinforcement learning significantly accelerated Atlas’ behavioral skill development. The core of this learning process is a physics-based simulator that generates massive amounts of training data.
Simulated Training: 150 Million Times per Move!
Before executing in reality, each action, like crawling, flipping, or tactical entries through doors, was practiced about 150 million times in simulation. Impressively, Atlas could transfer these learned skills directly onto hardware without additional physical training. Reinforcement learning—already critical to AI’s recent breakthroughs—proves again to be a game-changer, not only for robotics but for diverse fields like protein folding, drug design, and even chip design automation.
Ready for a Robot-Flipping Future?
As robots rapidly surpass human athletic skills, are we truly ready for what’s next? One thing’s certain: the robotic flip battles between Boston Dynamics, Unitree, and DeepRobotics mark the dawn of an exciting new era.
