Is ‘Spot’ a good dog? Why we’re right to worry about unleashing robot quadrupeds

Photo credit: Boston Dynamics. Article by Jeremy Moses and Geoffrey Ford, The Conversation. Republished by TechXplore – May 3, 2021.

When it comes to dancing, pulling a sled, climbing stairs or doing tricks, “Spot” is definitely a good dog. It can navigate the built environment and perform a range of tasks, clearly demonstrating its flexibility as a software and hardware platform for commercial use.

Viral videos of Boston Dynamics’ robotic quadruped showcasing those abilities have been a key pillar of its marketing strategy. But earlier this year, when a New York art collective harnessed Spot to make a different point, the company was quick to deny its potential for harm. […]

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Video: Spot Launch – September 24, 2019.