Boston Dynamics, the famous robotics firm from Massachusetts, shows the recent progress of its little baby, Spot. Already very comfortable with its four legs, it will soon acquire all new abilities.
Unveiled in 2016, the Spot robot dog has become an icon of autonomous robotics. Military operations, search and rescue, oil industry or construction, the small quadruped is very versatile. Recently, he took another big step forward: he will now be able to open doors entirely on his own. Previously, he needed human help, but the future updates planned by the company will allow him to do without it.
Accuracy and autonomy of increased measurements
Since 2020, Spot has been available for purchase. To make it easier to use, Boston Dynamics has announced a series of updates for its robotic creature. These will notably improve its ability to move over difficult terrain and perform inspection tasks.
One of the most notable elements of this update is the increase in its potential for taking autonomous measurements. Spot will be able to read analog dials and use that data without human intervention. Equipped with computer vision, it will be able to detect changes in pressure or temperature, and gas leaks. The big advantage brought by these improvements to its internal software is that Spot will be more autonomous during its inspections in an industrial environment.
Improved door opening and navigation
In addition to its new skills in autonomy and mobility, Spot has another big surprise in store for us. Thanks to his articulated arm, he will be able to open doors entirely on his own. If this functionality already existed before, Spot needed a human to control it remotely. It is now over! Still in beta version, the latter will be democratized to the entire fleet of robots present across the planet. Boston Dynamics therefore plans to equip the 1,000 Spot models present in 35 countries. This will greatly facilitate the patrol tasks assigned to them and increase their autonomy during their interventions.
Boston Dynamics’ recent announcements regarding the future of Spot aim to secure its interventions and facilitate its use in environments with special needs. He will be able to navigate on his own more fluidly than before and measure indicators more accurately. And, who knows, maybe one day he will open the door to your office to let you know that a huge gas leak is flooding the bottom of your factory?
Sources: Boston Dynamics, Gizmodo
1