Boston Dynamics Spot (formerly SpotMini)

The American company Boston Dynamics presented in the fall of 2017 a headless version of the SpotMini robot. Its body consists of smooth yellow panels, and outwardly, if you do not take into account the absence of a head, the four-legged SpotMini resembles a dog. The advanced robot has become much more maneuverable and fast. Its movements are smooth and look organic.

2023: Being able to talk to robops

At the end of October 2023, the company Boston Dynamics announced the integration of a based chatbot into its Spot robop OpenAI ChatGPT. As artificial intelligence a result, the four-legged car found the opportunity to talk to people.

The upgraded Spot acts as a guide in the Boston Dynamics lab. The robot received a microphone and speaker, and a speech synthesizer that converts text into voice is responsible for voice playback. In addition, the developers decorated the dog's "head" with a small hat and imitation eyes.

Boston Dynamics Spot with built-in ChatGPT

During the training, Spot received a short script for each room in the Boston Dynamics lab. The available data was then combined with images the robot captures with its cameras. Thus, AI has more detailed information about the environment at its disposal: it is used to generate replicas. The developers say Spot uses "visual response models," essentially forming answers to questions about images.

During a tour of the laboratory, a robop can, for example, talk about his charging station, invite visitors to another room, etc. Spot is able to answer various questions and even opens its "mouth" to make it seem like it is really talking. The robot is also able to mimic various personalities, notably a fashionable butler, teenager or Shakespeare-era character. The car can joke: for example, when asked about parents, the dog headed to the room where old Spot models are on display. At the same time, Boston Dynamics notes that the system of generative AI is imperfect and in some cases can invent facts and incorrectly respond to what is happening. But in the future, the technology will help in creating more "human" machines.^[1]

2021: Rental Opportunity with Boston Dynamics Spot SDK Education

Specialists ITMO University startup MerkleBot have developed a service Boston Dynamics Spot SDK Education that allows you to rent a robot Spot dog from Boston Dynamics from anywhere in the world and work out your skills in the field and. programming robotics The solution includes the ability to remotely connect to Spot, online meetings with experts, as well as a set of online lessons on working with the device. ITMO announced this on November 17, 2021. More. here

2020

Start of sales in the European Union, Canada and Britain

In September 2020, Boston Dynamics announced sales of its Spot robot in Canada, Britain and the European Union. In the United States, the robot at this time costs $74,500 - about 5.6 million rubles.

During the pandemic, the demand for robotics grew: companies were looking for ways to automate production in order to continue working and reduce the risk of employee infection. Boston Dynamics itself used Spot to help doctors, in particular, for remote communication between doctors and patients.

The American manufacturer positions the robot as a platform that can be adapted to solve different problems. The company has several partners who help expand the number of functions of the robot.

The start of sales of the Spot Explorer kit for $74.5 thousand.

In mid-June 2020, free sales of the Spot robot dog, developed by Boston Dynamics, began. The novelty is available in the Spot Explorer configuration on the shop.bostondynamics.com website at a price of $74.5 thousand. To place an order, you must leave a refundable deposit in the amount of $1 thousand.

The Spot Explorer set, in addition to the robot itself, includes two batteries, a charger for them, a tablet for controlling equipment, a case and a Python software package, on the basis of which APIs are built.

Boston Dynamics launches free sales of robot dog

In addition, you can buy accessories and additional sensors. For example, a 3D camera, computing units or another battery. The manufacturer claims that one charge lasts for about an hour and a half. At the same time, the robot is ready to work "right out of the box."

At the first stage of sales of new items, the cost of shipment is included in the price, and its duration is from six to eight weeks. 

Boston Dynamics began providing Spot to companies after the military refused to use robots. Then robops were given only on lease and only to selected firms.

The robot is still mainly used for remote monitoring of automated processes and equipment operation in workshops, on oil and gas production platforms. A compact robot with a camera can penetrate where it would be difficult or dangerous for a person to get. Four "paws" provide significantly more mobility than robots on the chassis, and Spot's payload, which can be up to 14kg, is larger than most flying drones, the manufacturer claims.

At Boston Dynamics , we've spent decades building and perfecting robots with advanced mobility, agility and intelligence because we believe flexible robots can solve a wide range of real-world problems, said Boston Dynamics founder Mark Raibert.[2]

Boston Dynamics reveals drawings of robotic telemedicine tools

In April 2020, Boston Dynamics published on GitHub drawings of additional accessories for the four-legged robot Spot, which allow it to be adapted to work in hospitals experiencing an influx of patients during the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19. Read more here.

2019

Spot robot dog launch

In late September 2019, Boston Dynamics announced sales of Spot robot dogs, formerly called SpotMini. It is the company's first commercial product to regularly showcase the capabilities of its bipedal and quadrupedal robots.

Spot has become available for order to a limited number of enterprises. Mass sales of new items will begin later.

The commercial version of the robot is capable of moving at a speed of 1.6 m/s and working for 1.5 hours without recharging. The carrying capacity of the device is limited to 14 kg. Built-in cameras provide a circular view.

Boston Dynamics announces Spot robot dog sales

The device is protected from water and dust according to the IP54 standard. Operation is maintained at temperatures from -20 ° C to 45 ° C.

The robot is trained to navigate difficult routes, including rocky terrain, ladders, thickets and hazardous industrial areas.

Spot is focused on operation in the industrial sector. For example, it can check gas leaks by equipping it with a methane detector. And for remote control, it is possible to install a radio module. You can also embed an installation to create 3D space maps.

According to the developers, by the end of September 2019, Spot is not designed to interact with people. For now, Boston Dynamics is focused on working out the use of Spot in indoor and controlled spaces.

The first customers are already using Spot to monitor construction sites, remote inspections at gas, oil and power plants, and in the field of public safety, the company's website says.

In addition, the company stressed that it is not interested in using Spot as a weapon.

Basically, we don't want Spot to do anything that harms people, even in simulation. This is what we firmly declare during negotiations with potential customers, "said Michael Perry, vice president of business development at Boston Dynamics[3]

The SpotMini group pulls the truck. Video

On April 16, 2019, Boston Dynamics released a video showing a dozen robots pulling a multi-ton truck.

The personnel shows four-legged SpotMini robots towing a truck through a parking lot. It is known that the truck was in neutral gear. At the same time, the asphalt road along which SpotMini with cargo moves goes up at a slight tilt.

In the video, you can also see that before the start of busking, robots the size of a dog are in a lying position, and then stand up and begin to move in a team. First, they walk in place and only after a couple of seconds they manage to move the truck from its place and start moving forward. The Freightliner Business Class M2 truck participated in the experiment, the curb weight of which is usually about six to seven tons ( depending on the body).

At the wheel of a blue truck is a driver who adjusts the movement of the car. Robots, like dogs in a team, synchronously run forward, dragging a heavy truck behind them.

By mid-April 2019, the SpotMini weighs 25 kg (30 kg along with a robotic arm) and is capable of carrying loads up to 14 kg, that is, almost half its own weight. The robot functions on an electric battery, one charge of which lasts for about 90 minutes, but the time can vary depending on the task.

In addition, the SpotMini features a relative silence of operation and is the quietest robot Boston Dynamics has ever assembled.

Boston Dynamics reveals how pack of robot guy pulls truck

Simultaneously with the demonstration of the traction capabilities of SpotMini, Boston Dynamics announced the start of mass production of these robots. The start of sales of devices is expected in 2019, but the exact timing is not announced.

Previously, Boston Dynamics publicly demonstrated other features of SpotMini. In particular, the company showed how robots can open doors  and move along stairs.^[4]

2018: Amazon chief goes for walk with robot dog

In March 2018, Jeff Bezos posted a photo on his Twitter blog showing the Amazon founder walking with a SpotMini robot dog from Boston Dynamics. Read more here.