February 11, 2015Boston Dynamics introduces smaller, more kickable robot

Two Spot robots operating together

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In 2005, Boston Dynamics unveiled its robot "mule," Big Dog. Now it has a smaller, nimbler littermate called Spot that can take a good kick. Weighing in at 160 lb (72.5 kg), the electrically-powered, hydraulically-actuated, four-legged robot made its debut in a YouTube video released by the company on Tuesday.

Boston Dynamics isn't releasing many details about Spot beyond saying that it's designed for indoor and outdoor operation; preferring to let the video speak for itself. However, the footage does provide a few clues.

For one thing, Spot is the smallest of Boston Dynamics' quadruped robots (outside of the lab-bound LittleDog) and shows the cleanest engineering. It's nimbler than Big Dog, though the two may be related, and the electrical/hydraulic system, which may be derived from the company's Atlas humanoid robot, is much quieter than the internal combustion engines used by the larger robots.

Another improvement is the configuration of the legs. Where Big Dog and its derivatives use a forward-angled leg design, Spot's is angled backwards like the legs of a goat, and it hops about like one. The efficacy of this arrangement is shown in the video, which shows Spot, standing about a meter high, navigating the narrow corridors of the Boston Dynamics offices… and receiving a swift kick by one of the office workers along the way. The company's robots are well known for keeping their balance, but Spot holds its feet with only a quick, remarkably lifelike stagger.

The video indicates that it uses some sort of scanning LIDAR for navigating. It also shows Spot negotiating a rough hill, climbing a flight of stairs, running with a man, moving in tandem with another Spot, and walking alongside the company's biggest robot, the LS3.

The latter raises the question of what Spot is for. Previous Boston Dynamics quadrupeds were developed as part of a contract to create robotic pack mules to assist soldiers with their gear in rough country. That makes sense for a machine the size of a mechanical bullock, but a robotic goat is another matter. Perhaps it's designed as a robot scout or an autonomous guard dog. Or maybe the company is expanding into the mechanical pet market. We'll have to wait until Boston Dynamics tells us a bit more.

The video showing Spot in action is below.

Source: Boston Dynamics

波士顿动力引进更小巧更耐踢机器人

2月11日，2015Boston动力学引入更小，更kickable robot

一起操作

图片廊（6图像）

2005年第二位的机器人，Boston Dynamics公司推出了机器人“骡子，”大狗。现在，它有一个更小，更灵活的窝称为现货，可以采取一个很好的任意球。在160磅（72.5千克）称重时，电动，液压驱动的，四条腿的机器人首次亮相在YouTube视频上周二公布的公司

波士顿动力没有释放很多关于专细节，只是说，它的设计为室内和户外作业;宁愿让视频自己说话。然而，镜头也提供了一些线索。

一方面，现货是最小的波士顿动力公司的四足机器人（在实验室以外结合LittleDog的），并显示最清洁工程。它比大狗敏捷，尽管这两个可能相关的，并且电

液压系统，其可从该公司的阿特拉斯人形机器人衍生，是比用于由较大的机器人的内燃机更安静。

另一个改进是腿的配置。其中，大狗和其衍生物使用正棱形腿设计，Spot的成角度向后像山羊的腿，它啤酒花大约像之一。这种安排的效果显示在视频中，这说明现货，身高约一米高，导航波士顿动力学办事处的狭窄的走廊......和上班族沿途的一个接收一个迅速踢。该公司的机器人是众所周知的保持自己的平衡，但现货保持它的脚只有一个快速，非常逼真错开。

视频显示，它使用某种扫描激光雷达用于导航。这也说明现货商谈一个粗略的山，爬一段楼梯，有一个人跑步，运动同步进行的另一点，和步行沿着该公司最大的机器人的LS3

后者提出了什么样点是问题。上一页波士顿动力四足动物被开发为一个合同制造机器人包骡子，以帮助士兵与他们在恶劣的国家装备的一部分。这是有道理的，一台机器的机械公牛的大小，而是一个机器人山羊则是另一回事。也许它的设计作为一个机器人侦察，自治县的护卫犬。或者，也许该公司正??在扩大到机械宠物市场。我们将不得不等待，直到波士顿动力学告诉我们多一点

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来源：波士顿动力