Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid hot dogs for the camera

Automation skeptics ask: Why humanoids? There are many benefits and drawbacks of the robotics form factor, but Boston Dynamics’ latest electric Atlas video showcases one of the most underdiscussed factors: costumes.

“Why build a humanoid robot?” the company rhetorically posits. “Because the world is designed for humans, including all the best Halloween costumes.”

A day after showcasing the robot’s impressive autonomous bin picking, the Hyundai-owned firm is back Thursday with the kind of cheeky video that has skyrocketed it to viral fame, time and again. That Thursday happens to be October 31 is certainly no coincidence.

Boston Dynamics has had plenty of fun dressing up its first commercial robot, Spot, over the years. Unlike that quadruped, however, finding the right costume for Atlas is as simple as locating a Spirit store in the nearest closed down CVS.