Boston Dynamics has (finally) launched the large-scale marketing of its Spot robot, this Tuesday June 16, 2020. Only available in the United States, it is displayed at the starting price of 74,500 dollars, or about 66,300 euros.
Spot, the four-legged robot with multiple missions
After a year of delay on the announced deadlines, Spot is finally available for purchase. Until now, the Boston Dynamics quadruped robot was, in fact, only available as a lease. From now on, all companies located in the United States will be able to obtain it for carry out missions as vast as they are varied.
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In fact, this little robot is impressive by its robustness, by its capacity for mobility, but also by its strong potential for customization thanks to its different sensors and multiple possible settings. Boston Dynamics describes its robot as a “mobility platform versatile“.
A description to which Spot has done honor in the past by carrying out several missions with very different objectives. In New Zealand he was a sheepdog. In Singapore, he helped enforce social distancing rules. In Boston, it came to the aid of caregivers battling Covid-19, it was also used by Massachusetts police and patrolled an oil rig in Norway.
As you can see, Spot was not created with a single objective: it was designed to be a small all-terrain robot capable of adapting to the needs of its owners. For this, it moves at a speed of 5 km per hour and can explore environments with extreme temperatures (between -20 ° C to + 45 ° C). It is resistant to rain as well as dust, and can cover rough terrain, even at night. It can also wear loads of up to 14 kilos and stand up alone after a fall. Finally, its batteries are easily changed.
Use for businesses
Spot is primarily intended for businesses to help them perform repetitive tasks, collect data, or even explore lands and places dangerous to humans. Its price, moreover, is not a general public price: this little quadrupedal robot is listed starting at $ 74,500. A price that can change with the addition of additional modules, the prices of which vary between $ 1,275 and $ 34,570.
The different modules that can be added in addition to Spot / Gif: Boston Dynamics
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Also, Boston Dynamics warns: ” Spot is not certified safe for home use and is not intended for use near children or others who do not understand the dangers associated with its operation. ». The company also specified that Spot’s warranty would be immediately void if its robot was used in such conditions. Likewise, she has the power to disable features remotely if his robot is used for “injure or intimidate a person or an animal, for illegal or very dangerous purposes ”. You will understand that Spot is very far from being a toy.
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