Spot Levels Up | Boston Dynamics.

Boston Dynamics introduced Spot in 2015. Since then it is amazing the technological advances that have been made. Spot has been adopted in various industries, including inspection and monitoring of infrastructure, such as power plants and construction sites. It has also been used in public safety scenarios, where it can enter hazardous or potentially dangerous environments to gather information or provide support.

Brief History of Spot: Boston Dynamics.

Spot is a four-legged robot developed by Boston Dynamics, a robotics company founded in 1992 by Marc Raibert. The company initially focused on creating robots inspired by animal locomotion, with the goal of developing machines that could traverse challenging terrain and perform tasks in real-world environments.

The early stages of Boston Dynamics’ work involved the creation of robots like BigDog and Cheetah, which demonstrated impressive mobility and agility. These robots showcased Boston Dynamics’ expertise in dynamic balancing and control systems.

In 2015, Boston Dynamics introduced Spot, a smaller and more versatile quadruped robot. Spot was designed for a wide range of applications, including industrial inspections, remote monitoring, and research. It features advanced sensors, cameras, and a highly articulated body that enables it to navigate various terrains and handle complex tasks.

Spot gained significant attention when Boston Dynamics released a video in 2019 showcasing its capabilities. The video highlighted Spot’s ability to navigate different types of terrain, climb stairs, open doors, and even recover from being kicked or pushed, demonstrating its impressive stability and resilience.

Following the video’s release, Boston Dynamics began leasing Spot to various industries for field testing and development. The robot found applications in areas such as construction, oil and gas, public safety, and entertainment.

In 2020, Boston Dynamics commercially launched Spot, making it available for purchase to businesses and research institutions. This marked a significant milestone in the company’s history, as it transitioned from primarily focusing on research and development to offering its robots as commercial products.

Robot Quotes

“Our vision for automation is that humans and robots work together to achieve things that neither could do alone. It’s this combination of human and machine that makes our fulfillment centers so effective.” ~Tye Brady, Chief Technologist at Amazon Robotics
“In 30 years, a robot will likely be on the cover of time magazine as the best CEO. Machines will do what human beings are incapable of doing. Machines will partner and cooperate with humans, rather than become mankind’s biggest enemy.” ~Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba.
“It seems probable that once the machine thinking method had started, it would not take long to outstrip our feeble powers… They would be able to converse with each other to sharpen their wits. At some stage, therefore, we should have to expect the machines to take control.” ~Alan Turing
“Should people be scared about losing their job to automation and artificial intelligence? Instead of being afraid I would say people should put energy into improving their skill sets so if their job is lost to automation they are prepared for the next level.” ~Dave Waters
“Machines smart enough to do anything for us will probably also be able to do anything with us: go to dinner, own property, compete for sexual partners. They might even have passionate opinions about politics or, like the robots on Battlestar Galactica, even religious beliefs. Some have worried about robot rebellions, but with so many tort lawyers around to apply the brakes, the bigger question is this: Will humanoid machines enrich our social lives, or will they be a new kind of television, destroying our relationships with real humans?” ~Fred Hapgood
“What does the near future hold: self-driving cars, crypto is the way to pay, brains connected to computers, slowing the aging process, crime prediction, batteries holding immense amounts of energy, robots and drones delivering packages, blockchain to track transactions, exoskeletons for superhuman strength… yes, amazing stuff.” ~Dave Waters
“Robots are an integral part of Amazon’s operations. They allow us to process orders quickly and accurately, which ultimately benefits our customers.” ~John Kost, Director of Research and Development at Amazon Robotics