At the forefront of robotic innovations, Boston dynamics has revealed their newest design and it’s looking like a very futuristic representation of your family pet. The best part? SpotMini looks like it can replace your housecleaner as well.
Weighing in at 55 pounds, SpotMini has done away with hydraulics and pumps to rely exclusively on electric motors for movement. On a full charge, an estimated 90 minutes of activity can be expected. With a full suite of sensors, the robot can both navigate and manipulate its environment. This includes fetching a paper, opening doors, and walking down stairs and functionality testing is getting increasingly complex every day. To augment ths, SpotMini can be taught or guided by its human companions to perform countless tasks for even more uses which will vary from household to household.
With an articulated arm and a gripping head at the end of it, SpotMini is a technological marvel. It’s able to perfectly hold a given gripped position in 3D space while the rest of its body maneuvers terrain. This has also given it application for handling fragile material not only limited to glassware, but also in radiation testing, and bomb diffusal. Whether in a home or in the field, SpotMini’s potential is yet another leap in robotics; closing the gap between science fiction and reality.
