In brief: It's not Halloween, but that isn't stopping Boston Dynamics from putting one of its robots in costume to help drive home an important point: Spot can be used for far more than remote observation jobs or tasks that are too dangerous for humans.
Boston Dynamics introduced its four-legged, canine-like robot in 2016. Over the years, we have seen Spot work alongside - and in place of - humans in several risky scenarios. In 2019, for example, the Massachusetts State Police leased a unit for a trial run in the bomb squad. The following year, SpaceX used Spot to inspect a test site following an explosion involving sub-cooled liquid nitrogen.
Adam Savage of MythBusters fame event put Spot to work as a rickshaw operator, highlighting the bot's potential as not just a workhorse but also an entertainer. Now, it seems the bot maker is embracing alternative use cases for Spot.
Last year, Boston Dynamics rolled out a new tool for customers in media and entertainment fields. Choreographer is designed to merge the creative methodology of a choreographer with the technical aspects of robot programming. In other words, it allows a choreographer to program bot movements like they would instruct a dancer, rather than how an engineer would program a robot.
The company's latest creation, Sparkles, works hand in hand with Choreographer. The custom costume for Spot resembles a playful dog, but it wouldn't take much to make other four-legged creature costumes.
It may sound trivial but it really helps visualize the sort of future Spot could have in the entertainment industry. Imagine stage plays or even theme park shows adding Spot to their live action lineup. Add in some animatronics for facial movements and you could have a highly advanced puppet show with actors that never get tired or call in sick.
Last month, Boston Dynamics rolled out an all-electric version of its Atlas humanoid bot that did away with hydraulics. The updated Atlas is better than the old iteration in virtually every aspect.
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