Boston Dynamics has equipped its robotic dog Spot with some new features that can make it more useful during inspection rounds in factories, mines, and other places where the robot is employed.
Spot has improved its ability to navigate through different types of spaces and terrains. The robot has also been equipped with a new system to alert people working in the area when Spot is approaching or present, which will hopefully prevent unintended encounters between Spot and humans.
Perhaps the coolest new feature of Spot is its ability to autonomously open doors. Previously, operators could manually open doors using Spot’s accompanying robotic arm. Now, Spot can perform this task without the need for operator intervention, opening up additional possibilities during autonomous inspection rounds.
In the video clip here, you can check out Spot’s new features and hear from Boston Dynamics developers discussing them. If you just want to see Spot opening a door, you can skip ahead to around 12:10 in the video.
