Spot is the dog-like quadruped robot from Boston Dynamics that continues to amaze us with its ever-evolving capabilities. This time, Spot helped the team decorate the Christmas tree, and the 90-second video greeting is quite amazing.
Boston Dynamics has promoted Spot as a robot that one can use to navigate tough terrain and automate repetitive tasks.
The holiday-themed video shows a Spot carrying a giant red bow to go onto a big Christmas tree. The robot has an extendable arm. However, even with full extension of the arm, it cannot place the bow in the right place.
Spot1, as there are multiple Spots in the video, leaves the frame, appearing to look for something to help, and reenters the scene with two more robots, Spot2 and Spot3, who take up the task to bow the tree.
The new robots stand side by side to make a step ladder for Spot1, who, after ensuring that the ladder is in place, takes its position on it.
Next, Spot2 and Spot3 straighten themselves up, giving Spot1 the much-needed elevation from where it can extend its robotic arm and place the bow in the intended place and adding to the holiday cheer.
The bow is a lightweight payload for a robot that can carry 30 pounds (14 kg) of payload and balance itself dynamically, even in uncertain surroundings.
The bareback of the robot is purposely designed to accommodate third-party hardware using mounting rails or payload ports. The robot has a 360-degree perception that helps it avoid hindrances and glide over surfaces like loose gravel grass or even climb up stairs.
However, if you are starting to worry about how robots might one day take over the world, you can find solace in the video by noticing how clumsy the robots are in staging the whole act. The video was shared on a video-sharing site with the caption, “Spot was teleoperated by professional operators, don’t try this at home.”
