Boston Dynamics recently recruited former MythBusters host Adam Savage to experiment with the dog-like Spot Mini to see what the robot is capable of.
Savage previously ran Spot successfully through a police training obstacle course, and now it looks like the robot has a new skill -- rickshaw driver. A rickshaw is a two or three-wheeled passenger cart generally pulled by one man (or in this case a robot) carrying one passenger. They were first used in the late 1800s.
In a new video posted on Feb. 13, with help from Zach Radding from Build Cool Stuff, Savage constructs a custom-made carriage with wheels for Spot to pull.
Spoiler alert: Robot uprising aside, you'll be rooting for Spot. New Spot video, featuring a rickshaw @donttrythis built, here: https://t.co/O6O37g594N pic.twitter.com/eoHODebSvu
— Tested (@testedcom) February 17, 2020
The four-legged robot weighs 55 to 66 pounds (25 to 30 kilograms) and can carry about 31 pounds (14 kilograms). SpotMini is all-electric and can run for up to 90 minutes on a charge.
Considering Savage and the carriage aren't light cargo, it's impressive to see Spot pull the rickshaw along a paved road and uphill at the same time.
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.