The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Exoskeletons
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Markets
    • Agriculture
    • Healthcare
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Security
  • Financial
    • Investments
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Earnings
  • Resources
    • Careers
    • COVID-19
    • Digital Issues
    • Publications
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
      • Robotics Business Review
    • RBR50 Winners 2022
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Leave a voicemail

Spot strides onto the market, as Boston Dynamics’ Atlas gets acrobatic

By Eugene Demaitre | September 24, 2019

WALTHAM, Mass. — Boston Dynamics today released its Spot robot for commercial use. The company had spent years developing and refining the quadruped robot, whose online videos have been extremely popular.

Boston Dynamics was founded in 1992, and it developed BigDog for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The goal was to develop a robot that could operate in rough terrain alongside human soldiers and where wheeled robots could not. The SpotMini was a scaled-down, quieter version of the legged robot.

Google X acquired Boston Dynamics in 2013 and sold the company to SoftBank Group in 2017. In March 2019, Boston Dynamics showed off its Handle mobile manipulator, and in April, it acquired 3D vision startup Kinema Systems.

The company has been hiring for numerous positions as it geared up for the release.

Spot capabilities

Spot became a YouTube darling for its agility, as it walked, dynamically recovered from collisions, and climbed stairs and uneven surfaces.

Spot is semi-autonomous, with the ability to perceive in 360 degrees and model obstacles to walk around or over them and autonomously navigate. However, human operators can still provide higher-level guidance with a videogame-style controller.

It can travel at 1.6m/s (3.5 mph), and it can run for 90 minutes on a charge. (BigDog ran on gasoline, which provided more horsepower but also more noise.) Boston Dynamics has not specified if Spot would be safe to operate around the public. It is designed to be able to operate in rain and in temperatures ranging from -20°C to 45°C (-4°F to 113°F).

Four hardware modules can be used for different needs, such as long-range communications, gas sensing, or 3D mapping with lidar. With an optional arm with six degrees of freedom, Spot could also be a mobile manipulator, able to grasp small objects and open doors for itself. The robot has a 14kg (30.8 lb.) payload capacity.

Spot has been demonstrated at events including last year’s Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, where founder and CEO Marc Raibert delivered the closing keynote.

Spot available for commercial use

Since being acquired by SoftBank, Boston Dynamics has promised to bring its robots to market, starting with Spot. It could be used to inspect construction and energy sites, as well as conduct remote observation in hazardous environments for public safety. Unlike its predecessors, Spot is not intended for military missions, said the company.

Boston Dynamics has created an application programming interface (API) and a software development kit (SDK) so that developers with experience building tasks for aerial drones or other robots can do so for Spot.

Other legged robots are intended as research platforms, such as MIT’s mini cheetah or Astro; for industrial inspection such as ANYmal C; or for search-and-rescue operations, such as the heavy-duty HyQReal.

Boston Dynamics told IEEE Spectrum that it is still scaling up manufacturing of Spot from “the early tens of robots” to a goal of 1,000 units per year.

Spot isn’t being sold to the general public, nor is pricing available, but companies interested in leasing the robot can fill out a form on Boston Dynamics’ website.

Atlas goes head over heels

While the utility of current humanoid robots is still debatable, their agility is improving, as seen in this latest video from Boston Dynamics of its Atlas robot:

 

The Robot Report also named Boston Dynamics as one of the “10 robotics companies to watch in 2019.”


The Robot Report is launching the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum, which will be on Dec. 9-10 in Santa Clara, Calif. The conference and expo will focus on improving the design, development, and manufacture of next-generation healthcare robots. Learn more about the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum, and registration is now open.


About The Author

Eugene Demaitre

Eugene Demaitre was senior editor of The Robot Report from 2019-2020. Prior to working at WTWH Media, he was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and Robotics Business Review. Demaitre has participated in robotics webcasts and conferences worldwide. He has a master's from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

Comments

  1. Matthew C. Tedder says

    June 18, 2020 at 10:14 am

    I love spot… but at $74,500 — really? Does it have a market? I hope so but not sure I am seeing it. I think the real key to successful mass market robotics will be a $4K and below price range, such as were early PC’s. I believe a walking humanoid for manufacture cost of around $2K is possible. My experimental designs use PVC and electric motors with bicycle cables. PVC is very non-abrasive, durable, UV, eletric, chemical, temperature insulative, and does not sustain a flame. So you can greatly reduce the part count, e.g. no bearings required, easier to keep cool, dry, fire-safe, etc. And by using a flywheel for stabilization, no fancy sensors or processing power is required to walk, run, or jump. My design uses a belt of electric motors around the torso, keeping weight off the extremities so less expensive motors are required. However, so far, I’ve only made, shoulders, hips, arms, legs, and hands. A hand is itself as complicated as the whole rest of the body, though.

    Reply
    • Steve Crowe says

      June 18, 2020 at 10:25 am

      Matthew, you’re point is well taken. A commercial-class quadruped of this quality hasn’t really existed until now. BD needs to get these out into the world to see what works, what doesn’t, etc. Like all new technologies, the price of Spot will be reduced over time. I always think back to the first HDTV I bought in about 2008. It was 46 inches and cost $2600. You can probably get that same TV nowadays for $300-400.

      Reply

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles Read More >

synkar mobile robot on sidewalk
Synkar offers sidewalk delivery as a service
MIT graphic
MIT researchers help robots navigate uncertain environments
John Deere autonomous tractor
John Deere acquires camera-based perception tech from Light
Rgo
RGo Robotics exits stealth with $20M in funding

2021 Robotics Handbook

The Robot Report Listing Database

Latest Robotics News

Robot Report Podcast

Anders Beck introduces the UR20; California bans autonomous tractors
See More >

Sponsored Content

  • Magnetic encoders support the stabilization control of a self-balancing two-wheeled robotic vehicle
  • How to best choose your AGV’s Wheel Drive provider
  • Meet Trey, the autonomous trailer (un)loading forklift
  • Kinova Robotics launches Link 6, the first Canadian industrial collaborative robot
  • Torque sensors help make human/robot collaborations safer for workers

RBR50 Innovation Awards

Leave us a voicemail

The Robot Report
  • Mobile Robot Guide
  • Collaborative Robotics Trends
  • Field Robotics Forum
  • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
  • RoboBusiness Event
  • Robotics Business Review
  • Robotics Summit & Expo
  • About The Robot Report
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Exoskeletons
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Markets
    • Agriculture
    • Healthcare
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Security
  • Financial
    • Investments
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Earnings
  • Resources
    • Careers
    • COVID-19
    • Digital Issues
    • Publications
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
      • Robotics Business Review
    • RBR50 Winners 2022
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Leave a voicemail