The teams competing in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) got their first look at an upgraded Atlas robot last week, which will help one group emerge victorious in the June 2015 finals.



According to DARPA, the new robot is 75 percent new; only its lower legs and feet were re-used on the upgraded Atlas. The 6'2" Atlas—initially developed by Google-owned Boston Dynamics—weighs in at 345 pounds, but the use of lighter materials meant Atlas can accommodate a battery and new pump system.



"The introduction of a battery and variable-pressure pump into Atlas poses a strategic challenge for teams," Gill Pratt, program manager for the DRC, said in a statement. "The operator will be able to run the robot on a mid-pressure setting for most operations to save power, and then apply bursts of maximum pressure when additional force is needed. The teams are going to have to game out the right balance of force and battery life to complete the course."



That new pump, however, means Atlas is much quieter than before, DARPA said. If things get out of hand, though, Atlas now has a wireless emergency stop.



The DRC dates back to 2012 (slideshow above). Select teams participated in a software challenge in mid-2013, and later that year, the DRC trials tested the robots' ability to perform real-world rescue and disaster-response missions. The DRC finals will be held in Pomona, Calif. on June 5-6, and DARPA expects about 20 teams to participate.



Seven of those teams will be using Atlas robots, and DARPA said members will get them by month's end. Among the other upgrades are: