What is Boston Dynamics, and how is the company’s robot Spot being used to benefit workplaces?
The robotics field has developed rapidly in the last 20 years. From 2012 to 2022, there was a 13.1% annual growth rate of newly installed robots, and from 2015 to 2022, the amount of robots doubled (1). In 2012, NASA’s Curiosity Rover landed on Mars and began to investigate the planet’s ability to support microbes and other living organisms (2). Closer to home, Lego Mindstorms EV3 released in stores in September 2013, allowing kids to explore robotics and engineering through their favorite toy brand. In Massachusetts, the robotics field has also advanced. Just a mere 6.9 miles from BB&N’s upper school campus, Boston Dynamics has created mobile and functional robots for over 30 years. Their legged robots are able to maneuver uneven terrain and complete a variety of tasks, from working in warehouses to assisting military personnel on the battlefield (3,4).
Boston Dynamics headquarters, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, is home to the design process for their commercial and industrial robots. Spot, a quadruped robot, is one of the company’s most popular designs. Unveiled in 2016, Spot can navigate difficult terrain, like rocky areas, and sense its surroundings (5). Depending on the needs of the operator, Spot can perform its tasks both manually and autonomously, including sensing hazardous materials in construction sites or conducting data analysis on manufacturing sites (6). Spot uses multiple sensors, such as thermal sensing, acoustic imaging, and visual inspection, to enhance its capabilities. Its ability to collect this data in one inspection route increases operation efficiency and ensures that manufacturers can maintain their assets, such as expensive electrical equipment or tanks (7,8).
The mobility of Spot’s frame allows it to climb over rocky terrain. https://bostondynamics.com/solutions/inspection/visual
Spot’s involvement in industrial inspections has been instrumental in keeping National Grid workers safe. Located in Central Massachusetts, National Grid has a HVDC converter system that supplies over 10% of New England’s power, making it essential to maintain power in the facility. The station has a thyristor valve hall which converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). Due to the high electrical field of the hall, employees only conduct inspections during scheduled yearly downtime when the equipment is turned off. Spot’s ability to withstand the electrical field of the thyroister hall allows workers to inspect the facility with greater frequency and safety. Radios installed throughout the thyroister hall allow workers to communicate with Spot from a control room as it performs manual inspections. Spot conducts these inspections biweekly, and it is sent to other parts of the plant to perform autonomous inspections with the workers.
Image of multiple Spot robots with different applications, such as The Spot Arm that allows the robot to grasp and maneuver objects. https://robotsguide.com/robots/spot
While Spot has already achieved feats once unknown to robo-dogs, its future is still unfolding. Recently, Spot was demoed at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week 2024. Boston Dynamics engineers displayed the robot’s ability to conduct dangerous maneuvers and detect CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive) threats (4). This function could be useful to field operators working in dangerous environments. With robot’s abilities to enhance workplaces and protect lives, who knows what future applications are coming?
Bibliography
- Bieller, S, Vanessa B, Oriol G. (2024, May 29). Robotics Industry Doubles since 2015. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Retrieved from https://www.wipo.int/en/web/global-innovation-index/w/blogs/2024/robotics-industry.
- NASA. (n.d.). Mars Science Laboratory: Curiosity Rover. NASA. Retrieved from https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/.
- Boston Dynamics. (n.d.). FAQ. Boston Dynamics. Retrieved from
https://bostondynamics.com/faq/#section-1.
- McHale III, John M., ed. (2024, May 9). Spot, Boston Dynamics’ dog-like robot, demos at SOF Week 2024. Military Embedded Systems. Retrieved from https://militaryembedded.com/unmanned/sensors/spot-boston-dynamics-dog-like-robot-demos-at-sof-week-2024#:~:text=Boston%20Dynamics%20touted%20the%20robot’s%20ability%20to,material%2C%20toxic%20gases%2C%20and%20other%20hazardous%20materials.
- ROBOTS. Spot. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Retrieved from https://robotsguide.com/robots/spot.
- Boston Dynamics. (n.d.). Spot® – The Agile Mobile Robot. Boston Dynamics. Retrieved from
https://bostondynamics.com/products/spot/.
- Boston Dynamics. (n.d.). The New Standard for Industrial Inspections. Boston Dynamics. Retrieved from
https://bostondynamics.com/solutions/inspection/.
- Boston Dynamics. (n.d.). Manufacturing. Boston Dynamics. Retrieved from https://bostondynamics.com/industry/manufacturing/#explore.
- Boston Dynamics. (n.d.). Spot Becomes Part of the Team at National Grid. Boston Dynamics. Retrieved from https://bostondynamics.com/case-studies/spot-becomes-part-of-the-team-at-national-grid/