Boston Dynamics releases SpotMini robot
Boston Dynamics has released a smaller version of their original robot, called Spot. The main difference between the new model and the older model is that it is run by electric motors compared to a hydraulic system. Enabled through its advanced sensor technology, a video released by Boston Dynamics shows the robot performing tasks such as loading a dishwasher, going up and down the stairs and accurately stabilising itself after slipping on a banana peel and bringing a drink to its operator,

By now a good many of you guys should be familiar with the company Boston Dynamics. In case you’re not, they are a company that Google acquired in 2013 that specializes in creating robots, and while they have put out two-legged humanoid models, the company has been known more for their four-legged creations, like Spot.

That being said, the company is back with its latest creation which is essentially a smaller and more nimble version of Spot that they are calling the SpotMini. Like we said, this is a smaller version of the company’s robots and instead of using a hydraulic system, the SpotMini will rely on electric motors to help get itself around.

It comes embedded with a host of sensors so that it can find its way around without walking into objects like walls. The SpotMini even comes with an arm on the top that allows it to grab objects like cups, cans, and it can also use that arm to prop itself up in the event that it falls over, like when slipping on banana peels.

The arm itself can also act as a gimble of sorts where it will be able to stabilize itself while the rest of the robot is moving around, making it useful for scouting missions where you could get some pretty steady footage instead of the shaky ones we’ve come to expect. You can check out the SpotMini in action in the video above where you can see it do the dishes, climb stairs, and bring drinks to its user.

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