Photo: Unitree
For some a fantasy, for others a nightmare, robotic pets can be seen more and more in urban environments. Watching the famous yellow robot dog Spot perform his numerous tricks got folks around the world to dream of walking their very own four-legged robot. But this luxury also comes with the risk of getting their pets hurt, whether by accident or because of mean people. The good part is that these pets don’t experience pain, but the damage worth is certainly painful for their owners.
Last year, a Russian rap artist caused quite a stir on social media when he shared images of himself casually walking a robot dog. The unusual pet –who became instantly famous – is called Striga, and walks around in a massive metallic chain leash that was chosen by his nonconformist owner.
Striga got plenty of attention as the symbol of a growing trend. Far from childish toys, robotic pets such as this four-legged one are highly advanced, and can cost thousands of dollars, if fully customized. In other words, these are quite literally some precious possessions, which is why you would certainly not wish to see anything happen to them.
Yet, it does. The owner of a robot dog just like Striga is trying to find the unknown woman who supposedly kicked his pet robot, named Stampy, “square in the front sensors.” The incident was captured on video, showing someone who seems to be kicking the robot pretty hard, while her friend disapproves. After the owner shared it on social media, the video quickly became viral, with many people showing sympathy for the “dog”.
It’s not just that the person who did that was downright rude and aggressive, but that the damage was serious, according to the robot’s owner. It seems that the forward-facing cameras and distance-measuring sensors took a serious hit. And all of that while Stampy was simply gathering some GPS and visual data, for obstacle avoidance. It turns out that a human got to be the biggest and worst obstacle so far.
The incident sparked a social media debate about the attitude of people towards these types of pets, and the disadvantages of owning a highly-customized, expensive robot such as this one. Stampy’s owner is offering a reward to find the woman who allegedly did this, so that she can help pay for the damage. But if that never happens, he will have to deal with the costs – a real bummer, considering how expensive the robot was in the first place.
The Australian robot dog owner didn’t reveal exactly how much he paid for Stampy, but prices for the Unitree Go1 start at $3,400, and go up to five figures depending on the customizations. He also mentioned that he went for the version that can be programmed, but skipped the high-end additions.
Introduced as the first “bionic quadruped robot” for the consumer level, the Unitree Go1 is seen by some as a bargain version of Boston Dynamics’ Spot. It weighs only 26 lbs (12 kg) but boasts impressive mobility, thanks to its knee and body joints motors. The Go1 can walk, jump, and go as fast as 10.5 mph (17 kph). Sadly, none of its advanced sensors and abilities could protect it against human rudeness. Jokes aside, we need to live in a society where robotic pets and delivery robots can also be safe.
Striga got plenty of attention as the symbol of a growing trend. Far from childish toys, robotic pets such as this four-legged one are highly advanced, and can cost thousands of dollars, if fully customized. In other words, these are quite literally some precious possessions, which is why you would certainly not wish to see anything happen to them.
Yet, it does. The owner of a robot dog just like Striga is trying to find the unknown woman who supposedly kicked his pet robot, named Stampy, “square in the front sensors.” The incident was captured on video, showing someone who seems to be kicking the robot pretty hard, while her friend disapproves. After the owner shared it on social media, the video quickly became viral, with many people showing sympathy for the “dog”.
It’s not just that the person who did that was downright rude and aggressive, but that the damage was serious, according to the robot’s owner. It seems that the forward-facing cameras and distance-measuring sensors took a serious hit. And all of that while Stampy was simply gathering some GPS and visual data, for obstacle avoidance. It turns out that a human got to be the biggest and worst obstacle so far.
The incident sparked a social media debate about the attitude of people towards these types of pets, and the disadvantages of owning a highly-customized, expensive robot such as this one. Stampy’s owner is offering a reward to find the woman who allegedly did this, so that she can help pay for the damage. But if that never happens, he will have to deal with the costs – a real bummer, considering how expensive the robot was in the first place.
The Australian robot dog owner didn’t reveal exactly how much he paid for Stampy, but prices for the Unitree Go1 start at $3,400, and go up to five figures depending on the customizations. He also mentioned that he went for the version that can be programmed, but skipped the high-end additions.
Introduced as the first “bionic quadruped robot” for the consumer level, the Unitree Go1 is seen by some as a bargain version of Boston Dynamics’ Spot. It weighs only 26 lbs (12 kg) but boasts impressive mobility, thanks to its knee and body joints motors. The Go1 can walk, jump, and go as fast as 10.5 mph (17 kph). Sadly, none of its advanced sensors and abilities could protect it against human rudeness. Jokes aside, we need to live in a society where robotic pets and delivery robots can also be safe.
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