City Council Votes to Accept Controversial LAPD Robot Dog

Not what I expected,  but very much needed,    but how long will it last?

City Council Votes to Accept Controversial LAPD Robot Dog

Los Angeles Times

Brittny Mejia; Libor Jany; David Zahniser, May 23, 2023

The Los Angeles City Council voted to accept the donation of almost $280,000 from the Los Angeles Police Foundation to fund the purchase of a robot dog for use by the Los Angeles Police Department. The department will be required to issue quarterly reports detailing where and why the device was deployed, the outcome of each deployment, and whether any issues occurred. The 70-pound robot dog, called Spot, can climb stairs, open doors, and navigate difficult terrain. Spot is controlled via a tablet-like device, features 360-degree cameras to record its surroundings, and transmits real-time data to officers. The department said the robot would be used only in situations involving the SWAT team and to keep officers out of harm's way.

Full Article   

Robot Dogs Join NY Fire Department

I recall they were rejected for any police work, but fighting fires is OK.  It seems the same 'Spot' style systems from Boston Dynamics.   Would like to see the kinds of processes being automated.   Reading up on it. 

See ‘Spot’ Save: Robot Dogs Join NY Fire Department

By The New York Times, March 18, 2022

Inside a dimly lit tunnel along a stretch of simulated subway track, one of the New York Fire Department's new dogs showed off a few of its tricks. Lie down. Roll over. Stay.

But the most remarkable things that the two robotic dogs can do were mastered by real dogs long ago: jogging across rugged terrain, hopping over small obstacles and helping keep their masters out of harm's way.

The department, which plans to deploy the robots in the months ahead, is the first fire agency in the country to purchase the 70-pound machines, which cost $75,000 each and are built and sold by Boston Dynamics, a robotics company.

The department plans to use the robots to aid in some of its most precarious search and rescue missions, which might help avoid the furious backlash that erupted when the New York Police Department began using the same technology.

From The New York Times

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The French Army Tests the Spot for Recon

Unexpected, but real uses in reconnaissance and supply applications.   And just exposure of the French army and command to future, possibly more autonomous means of warfare.   In another report,  New York City stopped using its test police robodog.  

French Army Testing Boston Dynamics' Robot Dog Spot in Combat Scenarios  By The Verge, April 14, 2021

The robot dog Spot, apparently being tested for reconaissance.The French Army has been using Spot, a quadruped robot built by U.S. firm Boston Dynamics, in military exercises.

France's military used robotics developer Boston Dynamics' four-legged Spot robot in training exercises, raising questions about the robot's future applications.  The French military school École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr described the tests as "raising students' awareness of the challenges of tomorrow," including the "robotization of the battlefield."

A more detailed account by French newspaper Ouest-France said Spot was one of a number of robots tested by students at the École Militaire Interarmes (Combined Arms School), apparently to evaluate their reconnaissance utility.   Spot's terms and conditions prohibit its use "to harm or intimidate any person or animal, as a weapon, or to enable any weapon," and Boston Dynamics' Michael Perry said he is adamantly against the robot's weaponization....'

DigiDog Policing Dog and Privacy

Seems the outgrowth of the 'Spot' dog,  design from Boston Dynamics, which I have been following.  Here called DigiDog.  Not sure what this sure what this has to do with 'privacy', but clearly does have to do with the safety of everyone involved.   The DigiDog, as far as I know is unarmed. 

Digidog, a Robotic Dog Used by the Police, Stirs Privacy Concerns  By The New York Times,  March 1, 2021

The Digidog robot. 

The New York Police Department is using a 70-pound robotic dog with cameras and lights affixed to its frame and a two-way communication system to remotely assess dangerous situations.

Two men were being held hostage in a Bronx apartment. They had been threatened at gunpoint, tied up and tortured for hours by two other men who pretended to be plumbers to get inside, the police said.

One of the victims managed to escape and called the police, who showed up early Tuesday morning at the apartment on East 227th Street, unsure if the armed men were still inside.

The police decided it was time to deploy Digidog, a 70-pound robotic dog with a loping gait, cameras and lights affixed to its frame, and a two-way communication system that allows the officer maneuvering it remotely to see and hear what is happening.

The police said the robot can see in the dark and assess how safe it is for officers to enter an apartment or building where there may be a threat.

From The New York Times

Spot Dogs at Work for NYPD

See that the NY City Police department has again utilized one of the Boston Dynamics  'Spot' dogs.  Apparently for a situation with potential human danger involved. .  The impressive look of 'dog-like' droids is coming to life.  Is this the future of policing?   Some of the inhabitants seem unsure.  

The NYPD deploys a robot dog again   

Boston Dynamics’ little robot makes another appearance in New York City   By Bijan Stephen in TheVerge

The cyberpunk dystopia is here! (If you weren’t aware: I’m sorry. You’re living in a cyberpunk dystopia.) The latest sign — aside from corporations controlling many aspects of everyday life, massive widespread wealth inequality, and the recent prominence of bisexual lighting — comes in the form of robot dogs deployed to do jobs human police used to. Yesterday, as the New York Post reports, the NYPD deployed Boston Dynamics’ robot “dog” Spot to a home invasion crime scene in the Bronx.    ... " 

Dynamics Spot Gets Long Distance Control

400 sold and apparently a better way to control it from a distance.  Continuing to follow the possibilities involved.  No further autonomy claimed of what I understand is tele-operation. 

Boston Dynamics' robot dog Spot gets long distance remote control  By Zoe Kleinman  BBC

The Boston Dynamics robot Spot can now be fully remote-controlled from anywhere in the world, using a web browser-based platform called Scout. Previously, Spot was controlled via a bespoke tablet, which meant the operator had to be nearby, said the firm's vice president Michael Perry.

Boston Dynamics said it had sold 400 Spot robots in the last year. They are being used in construction, deep underground mines, nuclear power plants and offshore oil rigs. Despite relatively limited sales to date, the company's new owner believes there is huge potential for the business.

Two months ago, Hyundai bought an 80% controlling share of Boston Dynamics from Softbank, in a deal which valued the robotics firm at $1.1bn (£810m).  Google's parent Alphabet had sold the enterprise to Softbank in 2017 for the much lower reported sum of about $100m.  ... "

A video of Spot "sitting" itself down onto a charging dock, using a skipping rope, opening doors, moving objects and climbing stairs was released to mark the latest development.   ... " 

Hyundai Buys Boston Dynamics

More on this, implications?  From what I have seen the largely remotely operated tele-robotic systems have particular value in remote security and remote data and information gathering and analysis.   Adding a particularly impactful remote presence.  Much more in the article below:

Hyundai Buys Boston Dynamics for Nearly $1 Billion. Now What?    in IEEE Spectrum By Evan Ackerman

Boston Dynamics contemplates its future as it gets swallowed (again) by a giant corporation  

Boston Dynamics, once owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, and then by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, now belongs to South Korean carmaker Hyundai.  .... '

Softbank Sells Controlling Stake in Boston Dynamics to Hyundai

Interesting development.   In TechExplore.  Had not recalled their connection with Google.

SoftBank sells controlling stake in Boston Dynamics to Hyundai

Japan's SoftBank Group will sell an 80 percent stake in robotics firm Boston Dynamics to Hyundai, the trio said Friday, in a deal that values the US company at $1.1 billion. 

Boston Dynamics has drawn huge attention with viral videos of its humanoid and dog-like robots, whose uncanny movements and impressive tricks have helped stoke fears that androids could one day become a threat to humans.

The engineering firm was founded in 1992 and bought in 2013 by Google, which sold the company on to SoftBank three years ago.

The Japanese conglomerate will keep a 20 percent stake through one of its affiliates and will work with South Korea's Hyundai to "propel development and commercialisation of advanced robots", the companies said.  ... " 

Boston Dynamics Helping Chernobyl Decommission

 Boston Dynamics is doing quite well with its mostly telepresence Spot Robotics.  Here another example, with apparent connection to specialized sensors. 

Boston Dynamics' Spot Is Helping Chernobyl Move Towards Safe Decommissioning

Legged robots are uniquely qualified for sensing around what's left of Chernobyl's Reactor   By Evan Ackerman in IEEE Spectrum

In terms of places where you absolutely want a robot to go instead of you, what remains of the utterly destroyed Chernobyl Reactor 4 should be very near the top of your list. The reactor, which suffered a catastrophic meltdown in 1986, has been covered up in almost every way possible in an effort to keep its nuclear core contained. But eventually, that nuclear material is going to have to be dealt with somehow, and in order to do that, it’s important to understand which bits of it are just really bad, and which bits are the actual worst. And this is where Spot is stepping in to help.    ... 

More:  https://chnpp.gov.ua/en/infocenter/news/5668-boston-dynamics-robot-at-chnpp

More Learning from Patrolling Spot Robotics

This kind of patrolled security, here on an oil rig, has been mentioned here before. Could be a mix of telepresence, and specific patrol routing.   With camera recording of visual, auditory and contextual  information.  That is data that can be fed into pattern tracking machine learning.

Boston Dynamics Dog Robot Learns New Tricks on BP Oil Rig   By Catherine Koppel in Reuters

Boston Dynamics is programming its "Spot" dog robot to read gauges, look for corrosion, construct maps, and detect methane leaks, now that it is working on a British Petroleum (BP) oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. BP's Adam Ballard said Spot's observational functions will improve the safety of rig operations by reducing the need for personnel. He said, "We believe a lot of that up-front, remote work preparation can be done with a remotely controlled robot ... being able to pan, tilt, zoom, and really understand the entire area in real conditions, real time." BP hopes to expand Spot's data-gathering capability in the future to enhance areas where humans are limited. ... ' 

Apple Using Boston Robotics Spot

 Been following various uses ot the 'Spot'  robot.   And how it makes its telepresence felt by its new subjects.    Here  new and different application, working with the construction of a building, apparently during the design and construction phase. 

Meet Apple’s telepresence robot

In APPLE HOLIC  By Jonny Evans, Computerworld

A Boston Dynamics robot called Spot is helping Apple and its architects design a new HQ at an iconic location.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced every industry to improvise and innovate to build agility and resilience to get through the crisis. Now, a key Apple partner is using telepresence robots as it leads construction of a Apple’s new headquarters in London. .... 

Apple’s billion-dollar Californian headquarters is somewhat under-used at the moment, but the company continues to invest in new centers worldwide as it continues to experience global growth. Apple in the UK has taken over a large part of the globally recognized Battersea Power Station for its new UK headquarters.   ... " 

Airman and his Robot

 The future of an augmented and networked military.

Tech. Sgt. ....  321st Contingency Response Squadron security team, patrols with a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 prototype at a simulated austere base during the Advanced Battle Management System exercise on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 3, 2020. The ABMS is an interconnected battle network - the digital architecture or foundation - which collects, processes and shares data relevant to warfighters in order to make better decisions faster. In order to achieve all-domain superiority, it requires that individual military activities not simply be de-conflicted, but rather integrated – activities in one domain must enhance the effectiveness of those in another domain. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cory D. Payne)  from  https://strategypage.com/military_photos/military_photos_20200924215629.aspx

Robot Dogs Exercise with Troops

Not unexpected, seems most of the examples shown are remotely controlled via tele operation as opposed  to  autonomous,  but the latter,  especially in supporting roles, are sure to quickly follow.

Robot Dogs Join U.S. Air Force Exercise
Brad Lendon
September 9, 2020

A recent U.S. Air Force (USAF) exercise utilizing robot dogs offered a potential preview of things to come on battlefields, with the legged machines dispatched to visually scout for threats after planes land in potentially hostile areas. The Vision 60 autonomous unmanned ground vehicles from Ghost Robotics can operate on any terrain and in any environment and can carry multiple sensors and radios. The electronic canines are part of the U.S. military’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), which employs artificial intelligence and rapid data analytics to detect and counter threats to military assets in space, as well as possible attacks against the U.S. USAF assistant secretary Will Roper said, " Valuing data as an essential warfighting resource, one no less vital than jet fuel or satellites, is the key to next-gen warfare.”

Spot Robot Does Disinfection

The perhaps obvious use of robots for disinfection is happening broadly, even with the much touted 'Spot'  from Boston Dynamics.

For Robots, It's a Time to Shine (and Maybe Disinfect)
The New York Times
Lisa Prevost
August 4, 2020

Demand for reliable cleaning and disinfecting technology has soared amid the current pandemic, and firms are promoting robots as cost-effective, compliant, labor-saving devices. Canadian startup Avidbots sells the Neo robot floor scrubber, which generates maps of a facility after being walked through it once, and clients then organize cleaning plans with the company. The Neo also uses artificial intelligence to avoid obstacles, and incorporates them into its maps if they appear the next day on its rounds. Other companies are devising more sophisticated cleaning robots, with designer Boston Dynamics developing a disinfecting solution that can be mounted atop its four-legged Spot robot. Meanwhile, the startup Somatic is engineering a robot to clean bathrooms using spray technology.  ... "

Spot Robotic Dog Now Available

Its here, good piece on the rollout in IEEE Spectrum by Evan Ackerman.     Been noting some application plans here over several years.    Expensive, but if it effectively replaces a person or more, not really.   What then is our expectation of privacy from a camera wielding robot that could be quite intimidating?   And ... can you take the publicity of replacing a person or more?

Boston Dynamics' Spot Robot Dog Now Available for $74,500
For the price of a luxury car, you can now get a very smart, very capable, very yellow robotic dog
By Evan Ackerman

Boston Dynamics has been fielding questions about when its robots are going to go on sale and how much they’ll cost for at least a dozen years now. I can say this with confidence, because that’s how long I’ve been a robotics journalist, and I’ve been pestering them about it the entire time. But it’s only relatively recently that the company started to make a concerted push away from developing robots exclusively for the likes of DARPA into platforms with more commercial potential, starting with a compact legged robot called Spot, first introduced in 2016.  ... " 

Spot Herding Sheep and other Farm Tasks

Intrigued by the use of robotics for agricultural and other classic farming  applications.  Here the use of the Boston Dynamics Spot ... and a link to a video of it herding sheep in New Zealand.  And doing other farming tasks.   Even working with others in teams.    So robots can be used for 'imprecise' tasks that require nimble action and reaction.  At least at this time these would appear to be tele-operated as opposed to autonomous.  For problems like herding animals, or even us?

Watch a Boston Dynamics robot herd sheep in New Zealand 
Robotics company Rocos  https://www.rocos.io/   shows how Spot might advance precision agriculture.

Christine Fisher, @cfisherwrites in Engadget

In addition to herding sheep, Spot robots might also harvest crops, inspect yields or create real-time maps, Rocos says. These capabilities are all possible now that Spot is more nimble, can handle rugged terrain and can carry infrared and LiDAR cameras. Rocos hopes to use its tech to remotely design and edit missions and collect sensor data. In other words, users might be able to herd sheep in New Zealand from anywhere in the world.  .. " 

Spot the Robot Patrols Singapore Parks

This is scarier than facial recognition.  Using Spot the Robot to remind park goers to stay apart.




 Video: https://youtu.be/viuR7N6E2LA  from Singapore Times

Spot the robot is reminding park goers in Singapore to keep their distance from one another
A different kind of walkies for Spot the robot dog
By James Vincent  in TheVerge

At a time when simply sharing space with a fellow human being can be a dangerous activity, many governments, airports, and hospitals are discovering the non-contagious delights of robots, which can be deployed to clean surfaces and deliver goods without fear.

Their latest deployment comes from Singapore, where municipal authorities are using Boston Dynamics’ four-legged Spot robot to remind park visitors to keep a safe distance from one another. Starting today, a Spot unit will patrol the city’s Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park as part of a two-week trial, broadcasting prerecorded messages “to remind park visitors to observe safe distancing measures.”  ... "

Robot Helps with Treatment

By the image at the link the spot robot dog looks rather scary.   Previous applications were things like security patrolling drilling platforms.   

Robot Helping Hospitals Remotely Treat Coronavirus
The Verge
Nick Statt

A robot from Boston Dynamics is being used at Brigham and Women's Hospital of Harvard University to handle remote triage of patients suspected of having COVID-19. The quadruped Spot robot is equipped with a custom mount and enclosure for an iPad or similar-sized screen, and a two-way radio to transmit a live feed of a doctor in real time. Spot has helped nursing staff minimize time exposed to potentially contagious patients and conserve their limited supply of personal protective equipment. Boston Dynamics is open sourcing the hardware and software for Spot so other hospitals and robot makers can forge similar partnerships.  ... "

Spot Got a Job on an Oil and Gas Vessel

Was thinking that he would be great to test for security in some sort of high security fenced area.  Would worry about its general interaction with the public. Oil vessel makes even more sense. Also would include some navigation challenges like doors, steps, ladders, etc.   But still have interactions with workers.   By itself would be a good deterrent to trespass.

The Boston Dynmics Robot Dog Got a Job on an Oil Rig  in Popular Mechanics   By Courtney Linder

Congratulate him on LinkedIn.   

The robot will survey an oil and gas production vessel, according to Bloomberg.
Since last September, Boston Dynamics has been making Spot available for commercial lease. This looks to be the second organization to take the robotics company up on the offer, after a bomb squad in Massachusetts.... "

See more about Spot on his Boston Dyanmics site.

Boston Dynamics Spot Robot Dog Goes on Sale

You can now sign up for one of the Boston Dynamics Spot Robot Dogs,  still in the early adopter program.  Not really publicly available,  but Boston Dynamics will work with you to design specific applications.

A kind of semi-autonomous dog-like robot, that works in many kinds of terrain, with lots of videos of it online.  approximate cost of one is said to be about the cost of a luxury car.   Very impressive operations, but also creepy and borderline scary.   Probably not consumer facing.   But for security and disaster recovery? Video below outlines many specs:



Here in IEEE Spectrum:

Boston Dynamics' Spot Robot Dog Goes on Sale
Here's everything we know about Boston Dynamics' first commercial robot    By Erico Guizzo

Boston Dynamics is announcing this morning that Spot, its versatile quadruped robot, is now for sale. The machine’s animal-like behavior regularly electrifies crowds at tech conferences, and like other Boston Dynamics’ robots, Spot is a YouTube sensation whose videos amass millions of views.

Now anyone interested in buying a Spot—or a pack of them—can go to the company’s website and submit an order form. But don’t pull out your credit card just yet. Spot may cost as much as a luxury car, and it is not really available to consumers. The initial sale, described as an “early adopter program,” is targeting businesses. Boston Dynamics wants to find customers in select industries and help them deploy Spots in real-world scenarios.  ...   " 

Considerable detail, about potential uses and competitors in this article ...