The dog-like robot that can open doors and haunt humanity’s dreams is now coming to a home near you.
The creators of the SpotMini – the four-legged (and zero-headed) robot that is gaining global fame for its increasingly sophisticated skills – are ready to make them commercially available. During a TechCrunch conference at UC Berkeley on Friday, Marc Raibert, the founder of Boston Dynamics, announced that the company is finally ready to sell its creations after 26 years.
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“The SpotMini robot is one that was motivated by thinking about what could go in an office — in a space more accessible for business applications — and then, the home eventually,” Raibert said.
Raibert said the SpotMini, which they claim is the “quietest robot [they] have built,” is already in pre-production and preparing for commercial availability in 2019. Along with a manufacturing partner, Boston Dynamics is building 100 units this year for commercial use, which will be made available to purchase next year.
"That's a prelude to getting into a higher rate of production" in anticipation of sales next year, Raibert said.
While an uber-quiet, door-opening robot roaming around your home may not be the most comforting idea, the bot only has a battery life of about 90 minutes after charging, and it weighs about 66 pound – so in case of a machine uprising, you can probably just wait it out in a tree, as long as it hasn’t learned how to climb them yet.
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There is no word yet on what the pup will cost, but the company claims their latest prototype costs 10 times less to build than its previous version.
A video shared by Boston Dynamics on Thursday shows the bot in autonomous mode, effortlessly navigating indoor and outdoor surroundings, obstacles and stairs like a real-life pup.
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