Ford has released the hounds into its factories, setting two Boston Dynamics Spot robots loose to survey its Van Dyke Transmission Plant. Part of the robot-maker's newly-expanded lease program, Ford's goal with the two quadrupeds is to create a 3D digital scan of the facility that's both faster and cheaper than the old method.
Boston Dynamics' robot dog, Spot, has been put up for sale to businesses, offering a four-legged - and somewhat creepy - way to integrate a robot into the workforce. The news expands on Boston Dynamics' early-adopter program launched last September, and marked Spot's move from development platform into regular production. Around 150 of the robots were deployed as part of the program.
Boston Dynamics' more portable version of its BigDog robot is getting around, figuratively and literally. At a time when social distancing and working remotely has become more than just a luxury, Spot's mobility and general-purpose design could be the key to keeping the world turning even with no humans in plain sight. That's the future that New Zealand robotics company Rocos is preparing for, with Spot doing the tedious and often dangerous work that farmers and herders might not be able to do for a while.
While there are many that heed warnings to keep their distance or even stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, there are definitely those that may not be so diligent, especially if there's no one around to catch them. Given the lack of manpower to enforce social distancing regulations, Singapore is turning to robotics to keep an eye out and remind people about the risks they may be putting themselves and others in. The question, however, is whether their use of Boston Dynamic's popular yet unpopular four-legged robot will be an effective tool or will ironically only draw more people to it instead.
It might not have the most comforting appearance but it will at least be saving lives. The smaller version of the company's "Big Dog", Boston Dynamics is putting the robot Spot to work as a frontliner in hospitals in Boston, allowing healthcare workers to communicate with patients over a safe, remote distance. Going beyond the call of duty, the former Google subsidiary is also opening up its hardware and software so that other robot makers could follow suit.
Massachusetts State Police was officially the first police department in the United States to test the use of a robotic dog named Spot from Boston Dynamics. News of the test was first revealed in documents obtained by the ACLU; the robotic dog was in use for non-weaponized purposes from August to November of this year. The test raises concerns over the potential use of intelligent robots by law enforcement.
You've seen the videos of the robot animals walking up hills, getting kicked by humans, and doing backflips. Now, Boston Dynamics put one line of these robots, Spot, up for sale. Sales this week ales are being described by Boston Dynamics as an "early adopter program" and will target businesses, first. This is Boston Dynamics' first commercial robot.
When people talk about robots taking over humans' jobs, they're mostly talking about those robots that come in incorporeal, digital-only form. It's going to be a very long while before humanoid or even bipedal robot can pose a fictional threat to humans. They can't even walk on uneven terrain without toppling over. That has been one of the challenges of DARPA's contests and IHMC Robotics may have developed a way for the likes of Atlas and Valkyrie to learn how to step through treacherous land.
Santa would probably want a pack of SpotMini quadrupedal robots for himself for Christmas. That is if he ever decides to change careers and drive a truck that can break down any time in the middle of nowhere. That's when he'd wish he'd gotten robot dogs instead of fleshy reindeer because, as Boston Dynamics' latest video shows, these can haul an entire truck. Then again, the reindeers could have made the truck fly.
By now, most of us are probably familiar with the SpotMini robot from Boston Dynamics. The SpotMini has been the subject of quite a few videos where Boston Dynamics flexes its robotics know-how, but the video that was published today is quite unlike any other we've seen so far. In it, we get to watch the SpotMini dance to "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars.
Boston Dynamics has published another video showcasing its Atlas robot and the new skills it has acquired. This video, simply called "Parkour Atlas," shows the company's Atlas robot perform a fairly basic parkour activity -- quickly ascending three large steps -- with a level of agility that is life-like.
Boston Dynamics is upgrading from merely terrifying us with the sight of its lifelike robots to actually selling them, with sales of its dog-like 'bot expected to start next year. The company is currently owned by SoftBank, which has already launched robots of its own, though none quite as advanced as those Boston Dynamics has developed over the years.