The Robot Dog by Boston Dynamics Arrived in Prague

You can now take a closer look at one of those unnerving animal-like robots you might have seen on the web at Alza in Prague.

Called Spot, the four-legged robot by Boston Dynamics can walk up to three miles per hour, climb terrain, avoid obstacles, see 360-degrees and perform a number of programmed tasks.

It may look a little scary, but at least according to the video we can see that it can be a useful helper in warehouses or on the road.

“We love innovation and we want to be the ones who open up new horizons in the Czech Republic. That is why we are extremely happy that we managed to bring the world-famous Spot by Boston Dynamics to Prague. We renamed it Dášenka. We believe that robotics will become more and more useful in the upcoming years. An example is the increasingly popular robotic vacuum cleaners,” says Jan Sadílek, marketing director of Alza.

With its canine appearance and human-like movements, Spot has experienced its fair share of internet fame. Videos of Spot dancing, opening doors and even pulling a truck have gone viral on YouTube.

Moreover, Alza established a cooperation with the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics, and Cybernetics in order to better explore the possibilities of practical use of robotics in logistics and households.

Since July, Boston Dynamics is selling the robot to the public for the first time in its 28-year history. Spot is now for sale on shop.bostondynamics.com, where you can take home your very own robotic dog for a cool $74,500.

Hyundai to acquire Boston Dynamics

On December 17th, Hyundai Motor Group has agreed to acquire approximately 80% stake in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank Group.

The move can fuel Hyundai’s long-term goal to become a smart mobility solutions provider by leveraging Boston Dynamics’ robots such as bipedal and quadruped equipped with 3D vision, navigation, and advanced intelligence, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The acquisition shows the company sees the considerable growth potential for robots in the years to come and a growing desire to diversify from its core automotive business.