Boston Dynamics Unleashes Smaller, More Agile Robotic Terror Called “Spot”

Come on. We’ve all played at least one sci-fi shooting game. Boston Dynamics had to create a smaller, more cannon-foddery version of Big Dog to go along with the full size, standard enemy units they’d already built, right? I mean, they’ve already got the tiny-sized swarm unit. Might as well complete the set.

At only 160 pounds, Spot may not be hurling cinder blocks like its larger relative, but its increased agility allows it to move more quickly over uneven terrain. It can also take a good kicking and keep on ticking, which its creators seem to enjoy demonstrating as the emotionless robot’s body language conveys a clear sense of panic likely designed to trick us into thinking it can feel. Observe:

It also runs at a pretty decent—if not quite cheetah-bot—pace and gives out scares alone or in pairs!

Spot won’t be doing the same heavy lifting as BigDog, but its descendants will be better suited to scouting and search-and-rescue missions than their bulkier counterparts. Plus they’ll really fill in the mid-size opponent variety when it comes time for the uprising.

(via Gizmodo)

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Dan Van Winkle

Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct Geekosystem (RIP), and then at The Mary Sue starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at Smash Bros.

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