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Watch the Boston Dynamics robot family dance like 2020 was a good year
Atlas, Spot and Handle get together to dance to "Do You Love Me" by The Contours.
Hyundai confirms its $1.1 billion acquisition of Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics is now officially part of Hyundai Motor Group. The Korean conglomerate has struck a deal with Softbank to acquire a controlling interest — an 80 percent stake — in the robotics company for $1.1 billion. According to their announcement, Hyundai decided to purchase a controlling stake in the robotics firm, because it “possesses multiple key technologies for high-performance robots equipped with perception, navigation, and intelligence.”
SoftBank has reportedly sold Boston Dynamics to Hyundai
Hyundai Motors is acquiring Boston Dynamics, according to The Korea Economic Daily. The publication says Softbank has agreed to sell the robot maker for 1 trillion won (US$917 million) and that the acquisition will be finalized at a board meeting today, December 10th. Boston Dynamics is known for its nightmare-inducing (or oddly adorable, depending on your perspective) robotic dog Spot, which it started selling in mid—2020 for $75,000.
Hyundai is reportedly in talks to buy Boston Dynamics
Hyundai may be the next owner of Boston Dynamics, the company behind the Spot robot dog.
Boston Dynamics will start selling arms for its robodog Spot next year
Boston Dynamics has reportedly already sold more than 250 of its $75,000 Spot robots since starting commercial sales back in June. “The next thing on the future Spot is that we’re going to make it available with a robot arm in a few months,” Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert told the virtual crowd at the Collision from Home conference in June.
The LAFD just hired America's first firefighting robot
The RS3 is America's first firefighting robot. It was action earlier this week when it put out a fire in downtown LA.
Boston Dynamics' robot dog takes an 'evening stroll' in Canada
Now that people can buy their own Boston Dynamics robots, we'll have to get used to seeing them out and about.
MIT researchers show how 'Dr. Spot' could help diagnose COVID-19
Boston Dynamics and MIT researchers say they’ve collaborated to create “Dr. Dr. Spot also has a computer tablet that allows doctors to remotely speak with patients. Researchers tested Dr. Spot with volunteers at the Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Ford deploys Boston Dynamics’ Spot robots to survey Michigan plant
A Ford plant in Michigan has enlisted two Boston Dynamics robots to aid in laser scanning the plant as it’s prepped for updates, Ford announced yesterday. The robots, nicknamed Fluffy and Spot, will roam the Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Dearborn, MI on four legs, much like a dog would. Ford is leasing the Boston Dynamics Spot robots (although you can buy them for $75,000) and deploying them in early August.
Spot and Pepper robots will perform at spectatorless baseball games in Japan
SoftBank, however, is taking things a step further in an effort to make its Japanese baseball team’s games a lot livelier.
You can buy Boston Dynamics' Spot robot (if you have $75,000)
Businesses in the United States can now buy their very own Spot robots from Boston Dynamics.
Watch a Boston Dynamics robot herd sheep in New Zealand
New Zealand-based robotics company Rocos shared a video of Boston Dynamics' Spot herding sheep across grassy pastures.
Boston Dynamics’ robot dog is chipping in to help COVID-19 patients
Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot is allowing healthcare providers to remotely triage COVID-19 patients at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Adam Savage turned Spot the robodog into a creepy rickshaw driver
Boston Dynamics has long touted robotic dog Spot's ability to help out in disaster situations and to take on jobs too hazardous for humans, but what practical applications does it have for the average Joe? Beyond scuttling around your house like a Lovecraftian nightmare, that is. Well, as ex-Mythbusters host Adam Savage has recently unveiled, it's pretty good at pulling a rickshaw.
Boston Dynamics gives its robot dog a developer SDK
Now that Spot is more clever and polite, Boston Dynamics is ready to set it free. The Softbank-owned robotics company announced that it's making Spot's SDK available to anyone who wants it via GitHub, starting today. The release will allow developers and even non-traditional roboticists "develop custom applications that enable Spot to do useful tasks across a wide range of industries," said Boston Dynamics VP Michael Perry.
Massachusetts police have been quietly testing a robot dog
Boston Dynamics has been looking for ways to put its robots to work, but it turns out they've already seen some service. Radio station WBUR and the ACLU have learned that the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad leased Boston Dynamics' Spot robot between August and November. While the document didn't elaborate on the role the bot would serve, a spokesperson said it was used as a "mobile remote observation device" to keep watch over suspicious devices and dangerous locations.
Humanity is well on its way to a real-life Terminator uprising
The recent release of Terminator: Dark Fate saw both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton reprise their iconic roles and James Cameron's return as a writer and producer. While the sentient killing machines depicted in the Terminator franchise are comprised of CGI and Hollywood special effects, plenty of real world research is going into developing robots with similar capabilities, just without the murderous intent (we hope).
Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot is now a gymnast
The latest footage from Boston Dynamics is, unsurprisingly, both impressive and terrifying. Over the past few years we've seen Atlas navigate uneven terrain and even jump around a parkour course. This is on another level, though. The bipedal robot does a handstand, rolls around and even does a few jumping twists -- all without losing its balance.
Boston Dynamics' SpotMini robots are strong enough to haul a box truck
How many SpotMini robots does it take to haul a big truck? Just 10, apparently. Boston Dynamics' new video shows 10 of its canine-inspired machines attached to a box truck like sled dogs, pulling it across the company's parking lot with a one-degree uphill slope. There was a driver behind the wheel during the demonstration, probably to prevent accidents, but the vehicle itself was in neutral.
Boston Dynamics' acquisition will help its robots see in 3D
While Boston Dynamics' robots make for fascinating -- sometimes disturbing -- internet videos, they haven't quite crossed into everyday life. That could change sooner rather than later. Boston Dynamics took a big step toward bringing its box-moving (and running, jumping, dishwashing) robots into the real world with its acquisition of Kinema Systems.