Robot Dogs

canine roboticus?

Just when we thought life couldn’t get any weirder, it does. Allow me to introduce you to robotic dogs:

Spot, from Boston Dynamics

Spot doesn’t look much like a dog, other than he’s about the size of a springer spaniel and he does have a leg at each corner.

Boston Dynamics refers to Spot as a “dynamic sensing platform,” meaning he can be programmed to detect radiation leaks, thermal changes, air and gas leaks. Spot can be used for hazardous response, keeping people out of harm’s way. He (she?) can navigate just about any footing with ease, including stairs and rubble.

According to the Boston Dynamics’ description, he is suitable for factory floors, construction sites, research labs, and more.

Spot can run at a top speed of just 3.6 miles per hour, but with the help of a low-level API and reinforcement learning, (what the heck is that?) his speed can be boosted to 11.6 mph. Compare that to the average real dog at 15-20 mph. But, what he lacks in speed, Spot makes up for in maneuverabili…