Adam Savage, the special effects expert known from MythBusters, received an exciting Christmas gift this year - a Spot robot dog from Boston Dynamics. He'll be putting the famous four-legged robot through its paces on his popular Tested YouTube channel.
What Makes Spot Special
The Spot robot is Boston Dynamics' commercial robot dog that has impressed people worldwide with its ability to walk, climb, and navigate difficult terrain. Here's what this high-tech pet can do:
- Speed: Moves up to 5.76 km/h (about 3.6 mph)
- Battery life: Runs for up to 90 minutes on a single charge
- Vision: Has stereo cameras that give it a complete 360-degree view
- Strength: Can carry loads up to 14 kg (about 31 pounds)
- Durability: Works in temperatures from -20°C to +45°C (-4°F to 113°F)
- Weight: The robot itself weighs 25 kg (55 pounds)
New Programming Tools Available
Boston Dynamics recently made a big announcement for developers and tech enthusiasts. The company released its Software Development Kit (SDK) to the public on GitHub, meaning anyone can now download the tools needed to program Spot.
Previously, only companies that bought robots through Boston Dynamics' Early User program could access these programming tools. Now developers worldwide can create custom applications to teach Spot new tricks.
The SDK works with Python programming language, making it accessible to many programmers. However, you still need to rent or buy an actual Spot robot to test your code - there's no computer simulator available yet.
Real-World Applications
Michael Perry, Boston Dynamics' vice president, says the SDK lets people "develop custom applications that will allow Spot to perform useful tasks in a wide range of industries."
One example is HoloBuilders, a company that programmed Spot to inspect construction sites. Workers can use a smartphone to show the robot a patrol route, and then Spot automatically walks that path while taking panoramic photos and uploading them to the company's system.
Robot owners can also create their own control methods and connect Spot's sensor data to analytics systems for various business purposes.
Adam's Testing Adventure Begins
Savage expressed his excitement about receiving the robot for the holidays, calling it an incredible gift. His first series of tests focuses on how well Spot handles rough terrain and uneven surfaces.
He's particularly interested in testing the robot's "Crawling mode," a feature that helps Spot navigate challenging terrain. Boston Dynamics recently updated this mode to improve the robot's balance and extend its knee movement range.
The testing videos on the Tested YouTube channel will show viewers how this advanced robot performs in real-world conditions, giving people a closer look at technology that was once only seen in science fiction movies.
This partnership between Adam Savage and Boston Dynamics offers a unique opportunity to see cutting-edge robotics technology tested by someone known for creative problem-solving and entertaining experiments.
