Boston Dynamics is a world leader in robotics. The company designs and manufactures robots of varying capabilities and exceptional design. The company is based out of Waltham, Massachusetts and was founded back in 1992. The team of talented engineers have previously manufactured robots named BigDog, Spot, Stretch and Handle. In their latest video, the organization depicted how their Atlas robot can perform complex humanoid actions to near perfection.

The humanlike robot was able to navigate rugged terrain with ease while walking on two legs, very much like a human. Through a complex array of sensors and cameras, it maps its surroundings and perceives obstacles. However, in the latest video, the robot can be seen picking up a plank and creating a bridge to walk between two platforms. It does so while holding onto a toolkit. Atlas then effortlessly walks across the thin plank and tosses the toolkit to the person on top of the scaffolding. The company refers to this motion as an inverted 540-degree, multi-axis flip. But it doesn’t stop there; the robot does a backflip off the platform before landing perfectly on its feet again. 

A demo such as this depicts how humanoid robots such as Atlas are capable of performing tasks too dangerous for humans, such as working at extreme heights or carrying materials through an area too toxic or narrow for a human. Search and Rescue operations can be simplified to a higher degree with the implementation of robots. They can even be used to maintain and inspect infrastructure, such as pipelines and bridges. Human casualties can be minimized this way. Sure, there is a dilemma regarding replacing human workers with robots, but doing so for perilous tasks is nothing but a step towards increasing the value placed on human life.

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There is a growing preference for robopets which are robots using artificial intelligence (AI) to perform sometimes extraordinary tasks. US-based firm Boston Dynamics is a leading light in robotics, with its famous robotic dog called Spot. A Chinese tech firm, Welian has now developed the Chinese version of Spot, called AlphaDog, which is already on sale in China for 16,000 yuan ($2,400). Compared to the $74,500 price tag of Spot, this is, without doubt, a far cheaper version.

AlphaDog uses sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to perform several tasks, and Welian says that future upgrades will further expand the robotic dog’s capability to carry out a whole host of applications, including guiding the visually impaired, barking, and even carrying out voice commands from its owner.

Welian says AlphaDog is very similar to a real dog, and it can get to a top speed of 9 miles per hour, placing it among the fastest robots presently. AlphaDog also can retain its balance even when kicked by humans. It can determine the amount of friction and ground conditions to adjust its height, adjust its pace, and adapt to its environment, according to Welian’s chief technical officer, Ma Jie.

Welian has deployed 5G technology to make AlphaDog carry out tasks autonomously. More than 1,800 units have been sold within the first month of the release of AlphaDog. According to Welian, much of the current orders were from computer developers, tech enthusiasts, and kids.  

It remains to be seen how soon Welian will incorporate all the necessary upgrades that would transform AlphaDog into a visually impaired guide, a dog capable of deterring intruders through a menacing barking spree, and being able to communicate via voice prompts from its owner. These aspects are obviously under development by several robotics firms across the world.

Recall that Boston Dynamics’ Spot recently participated in a combat exercise involving humans and robots in France, carrying out reconnaissance missions during the exercise.

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(via)

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The French Army has recently deployed a group of robots in the simulation of a combat mission held in a military school. The robotic dog named Spot, produced by US robotics manufacturer Boston Dynamics was among several robots deployed for offensive and defensive missions in collaboration with military school students. According to the school’s commandant, Jean-Baptiste Cavalier, the two-day training exercise provided an opportunity for the organizers to measure the added value that robots introduce into combat actions. The combat exercises saw Spot carrying out reconnaissance missions.

The robots used for the combat exercise were given to the French Army by Shark Robotics and Nexter Group. Boston Dynamics has said that it was aware that its robot Spot was being used for military exercises but was unaware of the present combat exercise’s details. The combat drills consisted of various offensive and defensive missions that were simulated by the students first without using robots and then using the robots.

The combat exercise analysis showed that the robots were a bit slower on their tasks than the students, and Spot was reported to have run out of battery life in the middle of a mission. However, the robots kept the troops safer, thus justifying their possible deployment in actual combat operations. The current exercise reflects the growing use of robots for military applications, bound to enhance and modify the way the military operates in actual combat situations.

We have read stories of Spot being deployed for other activities but this is the first time we are coming across a combat deployment. Boston Dynamics had previously produced several robots used in military applications, though, both offensive and defensive. The company has, however, gradually transformed into a robotics manufacturer of non-military-grade robots. It recently launched its proprietary and easy-to-deploy robot with a versatile robotic hand and mobility for packing and unpacking loads in warehouses. The robot has the ability to work on its batteries for several hours on a full charge.

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US-based robotics manufacturer Boston Dynamics has released yet another robot to enhance logistics in the warehouse. The company claims its new robot called Stretch is very efficient and versatile, making it possible to deploy it to warehouses without installing additional automation infrastructure. According to Boston Dynamics, the Stretch robot can move boxes in the warehouse at an estimated throughput rate of 800 packages per hour.

The design of Stretch is a bit different from several of the previous logistics robots produced by Boston Dynamics since 2019 when it acquired Kinema Systems. It has a square mobile base, a set of wheels for navigation around its environment, a perception mast fitted with cameras and sensors to aid the robot’s intelligent movement. The Stretch robot also has massive robotic arms with seven degrees of freedom and a suction pad system that enables it to lift loads up to 23kg securely. The carrying capacity of the Stretch looks minimal, as it cannot deal with heavy loads, which are common.

Boston Dynamics is bringing mobility to warehouse automation. Watch Stretch – our new case handling robot – move, groove and unload trucks.

Read the announcement. https://t.co/5B7wDDKC38 pic.twitter.com/i3Dsoz9Tq8

— Boston Dynamics (@BostonDynamics) March 29, 2021

According to Michael Perry, VP of Business Development at Boston Dynamics, the robot can provide automation in environments that do not have automation infrastructure. It does not need additional tracks or other infrastructure for it to navigate seamlessly across the warehouse. The Stretch comes with a battery system that can power the robot for eight hours on a full charge. The robot can also be tethered to the mains electricity supply with ease.

Boston Dynamics is yet to put a price tag on the new robot. Its affordability may be a driving force that could encourage customers seeking an inexpensive and straightforward automation solution to their logistics problems. It remains to be seen how the robot will perform in the planned pilot scheme by Boston Dynamics to test the robot. The pilot run will precede the eventual commercial deployment of the Stretch robot in 2022.

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• U.S. police deploy robot dogs to assist law enforcement but there are privacy concerns

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A recent report by the New York Times details how the New York police have been using robot dogs to aid crime fighting in the city. The latest story is that of two men who were kidnapped in an apartment in the Bronx area. The two kidnappers had entered the apartment pretending to be plumber but soon took the occupants hostage and tied them up for several hours. One of the victims successfully escaped from the armed men and then contacted the police.

When the police arrived the scene, because they were not sure if the gunmen were still inside the apartment,they deployed a robotic dog named Digidog. The robot is equipped with a camera and lights and allows the police to remotely view the scene through two-way communication. The police team also disclosed that the robot dog can see clearly in the dark thanks to night vision camera.

In the Bronx case, the police used Digidog to understand that the room was empty as the gunmen had fled the scene. They are still searching for the two robbers who stole a mobile phone and $2,000 in cash and burned one of the victims with a soldering iron.

In an unusual manner, the case has generated some concerns bothering on privacy. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Digidog a mobile monitor on Twitter.

Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, said that allowing robots to do police work would have an impact on prejudice, mobile surveillance, hacking, and privacy issues. Others worry that robots may cooperate with other technologies as weapons.

“We have seen that many police stations have not explained the situation to the communities they serve when adopting powerful new surveillance technologies and other technologies, let alone soliciting opinions from the public.” He said, “So openness and transparency are of the utmost importance.”

While these concerns raised shows what the emerging robotics technology may face in the future, we can’t throw away the fact that they bring immense benefits. Keith Taylor once served in the SWAT team and currently teaches at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He said that a mobile device that can collect intelligence remotely in unstable situations “has great potential” to reduce the number of casualties.

“It is important to question the police, but the benefits of this matter seem obvious,” he said. “Its purpose is to help the police obtain the information they need without a fatal exchange of fire.”

The New York Police Department is one of the three police stations in the United States where this robot dog is deployed. The robot in question is Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot which went on sale last year. New York Plolice chose to name theirs Digidog. nitor. “It’s very noisy and it shines.” He said, “It’s easy to get people’s attention.”

We expect the use of robots to prevent police officers from getting into dangerous situations to become a routine in the near future.

In 2016, the police confronted a gunman who killed five police officers in Dallas and eventually killed him with a robot.

In 2015, a man with a knife threatened to jump off a bridge in San Jose, California. The police used the robot to provide him with a mobile phone and a pizza, and finally arrested him.

The previous year, after a gunman locked himself in a motel room, Albuquerque police used robots to “deploy chemical weapons” and eventually subdued him.

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South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Group has agreed to buy a controlling stake in US robot firm, Boston Dynamics from SoftBank Group Corp in a deal worth $1.1 billion.

In a statement released on Friday (via), Hyundai said the purchase would fast track its expansion plans in the automation of its vehicle assembling processes in its factories and production of autonomous cars, drones, and robots, as it pursues transformation from a carmaker to a broader mobility service provider.

Hyundai said the deal, which involves a new share issue, would give the company and its Chief Executive a combined 80% stake in Boston Dynamics, with Softbank retaining 20%.

Newly promoted Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung sees the future business direction of the company would be a mix of traditional car manufacturing, robotics, and urban air transportation in the ratio of 50%:20%:30%.

Chung will own a 20% stake in Boston Dynamics, while Hyundai Motor and its affiliates Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Glovis will have a combined 60% holding in the new firm.

Softbank Group Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said the partnership with Hyundai Motor Group would accelerate the robot maker’s path to commercialization.

Boston Dynamics was an offshoot of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992 and has changed hands from MIT to Google in 2013 and then to SoftBank in 2017. It chalked up a net loss of $103 million in 2020, following declines from previous years. The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals and other considerations, is expected to be concluded by mid-2021.

For Hyundai Motor Group, this is the latest move in a seemingly well-choreographed lineup of deals under Chung, who had pledged to transform the automaker into a mobility provider.

Hyundai Motor Group announced in January 2020 that it had partnered with Uber to develop electric air taxis, although it would seem the venture was not productive, as Uber said this week it plans to sell its loss-making flying taxi unit to Joby Aviation.

UP NEXT: Samsung patents a clamshell foldable phone design with zero-gap hinge & larger cover display

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