Photo: Instagram/Boston Dynamic
Spot, the world-famous yellow robot dog created by Boston Dynamics, has been to more countries and done more important things than some of us ever will.
It joined the New York Firefighting Department, monitored the underground tunnels of the Pompeii archaeological park in Italy, and it was recently reported that it’s even headed to Ukraine to help detect mines. One of the latest places where it made itself useful is Australia, where it’s being tested as a vigilant guard at a power station.
Power station operator Snowy Hydro wants to turn Spot the headless robot dog into an efficient guard, ABC reports. Together with technology expert Emesent, it’s currently exploring the best ways to use the Boston Dynamics robot for data gathering and maintenance work. The adapted version of Spot boasts a robotic arm, light detection features, and a 360-degree camera.
During the initial tests at the Tumut 2 power station in southern New South Wales, the four-legged robot was remotely controlled by the staff, but Spot would eventually be able to operate autonomously, communicating with the base when it detects a potential risk. Similar to an actual watchdog, Spot could keep an eye on the site at all times, alerting the staff when something’s wrong.
A robot dog’s vigilance could be very helpful at power stations, which function 24/7 and should be monitored at all times. Plus, Spot can reach areas where people can’t, and its scanning technology would allow it to operate faster and more efficiently than regular guards. Emesen’s co-founder Farid Kendoul told ABC that this robot dog could not only open and close doors but even open or close pipes by turning the levers.
Although other four-legged robots got a somewhat negative reputation due to their military applications, the yellow Spot robot seems to be welcomed for its helpful skills all over the world.
Power station operator Snowy Hydro wants to turn Spot the headless robot dog into an efficient guard, ABC reports. Together with technology expert Emesent, it’s currently exploring the best ways to use the Boston Dynamics robot for data gathering and maintenance work. The adapted version of Spot boasts a robotic arm, light detection features, and a 360-degree camera.
During the initial tests at the Tumut 2 power station in southern New South Wales, the four-legged robot was remotely controlled by the staff, but Spot would eventually be able to operate autonomously, communicating with the base when it detects a potential risk. Similar to an actual watchdog, Spot could keep an eye on the site at all times, alerting the staff when something’s wrong.
A robot dog’s vigilance could be very helpful at power stations, which function 24/7 and should be monitored at all times. Plus, Spot can reach areas where people can’t, and its scanning technology would allow it to operate faster and more efficiently than regular guards. Emesen’s co-founder Farid Kendoul told ABC that this robot dog could not only open and close doors but even open or close pipes by turning the levers.
Although other four-legged robots got a somewhat negative reputation due to their military applications, the yellow Spot robot seems to be welcomed for its helpful skills all over the world.
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