Boston Dynamics launches Spot robot dog sales with splashy video
You'll want to buy a Spot of your own after watching the promo video.
Boston Dynamics' Spot danced to UpTown Funk in a previous Boston Dynamics video.
Move over, Aibo. Boston Dynamics' creepy-weird-wonderful Spot robot dog is now shipping to early adopters. The company dropped a promo video for the mechanical quadruped on Tuesday.
The general public knows Spot for its viral video exploits, where it has twerked to Bruno Mars and worked together in a pack to haul a truck across a parking lot.
The Spot launch video takes things a little more seriously by showing off the robot's capabilities along with a variety of pertinent specs. It can move at up to 3 mph (4.8 kph), has an average runtime of about 90 minutes and can operate in rugged terrain. Spot owners can swap out the battery in its belly to keep it going.
Spot isn't exactly aiming for a spot on the rug in front of your fireplace. It's geared for industrial uses. "Early customers are already testing Spot to monitor construction sites, provide remote inspection at gas, oil and power installations, and in public safety," Boston Dynamics said in the video description.
The Spot page takes you to a sales contact link, which doesn't reveal pricing information.
"Our general guidance is that the total cost of the early adopter program lease will be less than the price of a car -- but how nice a car will depend on the number of Spots leased and how long the customer will be leasing the robot," Boston Dynamics marketing specialist Natalie Alper told CNET.
Spot has occupied an uneasy yet compelling place in our hearts. It's kind of cute, but it's also uncannily capable of certain people activities, like dancing and opening doors. It's good to know Spot is already being put to use in the service of humanity. Let's keep that human-robot status quo intact for as long as we can.
