Boston Dynamics, the famous robot manufacturer formerly owned by Google, is finally starting to sell robots to the public. And they’re starting with the robot doggo the SpotMini! The SpotMini made headlines earlier this year when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos adopted one.
The little brother to the original Spot, the SpotMini can do everything it can in a smaller package. It’s all-electric and runs for 90 mins per charge, depending on what it’s up to. It’s 2.75 feet tall and weighs around 55 pounds (add an extra 11 pounds for the arm). The arm has sensors and 5 degree-of-freedom movement, letting it pick up and handle objects carefully, and carry up to 30 pounds. The body, legs and head have 3D cameras and sensors, letting SpotMini guide itself around on its own.
It’s also the quietest robot they’ve made, letting it sneak up on you anytime and jump on your lap while you’re sleeping. And with its arm, it can let itself in and out of your house without your help, even if you’re trying to stop it.
It can have different software or attachments added, like a surveillance package, letting it track you down day or night, no matter how hard you try to hide from it. They can even team up and help out other SpotMinis, such as opening a door for one that doesn’t have an arm. So if you get really lucky, you’ll have a couple more quietly waiting for you when you get home!
If this sounds like fun, stay tuned to when the price is announced before being released next year. And don’t worry about the SpotMini stealing jobs from real dogs, only 100 will be offered next year, with the price still pending.