What could Google possibly want with an armless robot?

Seven weeks ago, Google made waves in the robotics world with a human-like robot that could walk on uneven terrain, lift boxes and get back up after falling. Such abilities hadn't been seen in one robot. Now Google (formally known as Alphabet) is at it again. Another robot has emerged from X, the company's experimental labs, roaming outdoors on two legs, according to a new video that surfaced from a conference in Japan. While experts call it an impressive demonstration of balance and two-legged walking, it remains unclear what real-world uses Google or anyone could have with a legged robot in the near term. "It will still be awhile before we see these robots in a context outside a very compelling demonstration video," said Brian Gerkey, chief executive of the Open Source Robotics Foundation.