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There are some household chores that no-one wants to do: asking the kids to throw away the trash or wash the dishes can trigger World War III. Boston Dynamics, Google’s robotic division, may hold the solution for your family struggles.
Meet SpotMini, a medium-sized robot that has been taught to put the dishes in the dishwasher and take the trash out on command. Its design allows it to perform delicate movements, so your precious china won’t be cracked.
At 65 pounds, SpotMini is small enough to be able to move around the house without bumping into objects or toppling vases over. The company has published the video below presenting the robot’s skills, as well as its ability to stand up after slipping on a slippery surface.
The team at Boston Dynamics has taught SpotMini to walk up and down the stairs, duck under chairs or tables, and avoid collisions with other objects – and even other SpotMini robots!
Powered by electricity, the companion can perform 90 minute worth of tasks; it walks silently around the house as one of the few robots Boston Dynamics designed for household use.
To move freely around a typical environment, the robot is covered in sensors and cameras have been installed in key places on its body. Simple tasks it can do on its own, but more complex ones require the input and coordination of a human.
It seems as if SpotMini is ready to be shipped to your doorstep, giving you a well-deserved pause from your chores. However, there are still some details Google’s robotic division needs to fix before your household companion gets sold at your local electronics store.
This is not the first robot Boston Dynamic has unveiled, and some of them have crossed over to the creepy side. In spite of its promising potential, Google wants to sell the division, mainly because none of its products are ready to hit the market in the near future.
Some reports said that Toyota and Amazon are both interested in buying it, but neither Google nor the buying companies have revealed details of possible deals.
If Toyota will purchase Boston Dynamics, the robotic division would be less pressured to develop a robot ready for commercialization and would be allowed to conduct more research projects.
Image Source: Tech Times
