Reports from the Heart of the Machine
Editor: Du Wei
"In addition to the dancers, I also became a factory blue collar."
When it comes to Boston Dynamics' Spot four-legged robot, the most that comes to mind should be its rich and diverse dancing videos, such as acting as a lead dancer:
Spot more often looks like a "performer" than an industrial robot and doesn't show people what it actually does.
On May 3, local time, Boston Dynamics released the latest video with the theme of "No Time to Dance", showing spot four-legged robots performing a series of tasks in industrial environments, reminding the world that "it can also work".
Spot can now read the meter's readings and transmit them to the worker.
Scan the device using an infrared camera.
Generate work instructions for human employees.
Of course, the "old way" can not be forgotten, and danced with humans.
However, Spot proves that it is no longer just a "dancer".
How? Boston Dynamics has made a series of updates and upgrades for the Spot quadruped robot in the following two areas.
Optimized and hardened industrial hardware
Spot quadruped robots require the best hardware to ensure reliability and ease of use. To that end, Boston Dynamics upgraded Spot's basic sensors, integrated a new and improved tablet controller, and designed smarter, faster charging chargers to keep Spot running at peak efficiency.
Spot's five stereo cameras now provide full-color images as well as existing depth information. Located around the robot's body, these cameras help it map its surroundings in three dimensions. While Spot doesn't require color images, this change improves the operator's field of view, making it easier to parse the robot's environment from the tablet or Spot's remote operation software, Scout.
For many Spot Operators, the new and improved Spot Flat PC will be the biggest upgrade. The tablet, used to drive the robot and create autonomous tasks, is the first point of contact for most operators with the platform. Boston Dynamics implemented several upgrades to ensure that the controller was both easy to use and powerful enough to meet the needs of operators in the field.
Intuitive touchscreen: Easier than ever with an 8-inch touchscreen and a digital joystick to drive Spot and record tasks;
Optimized for autonomy: larger tablets provide more screen space for task editing, remote manipulation and data review, providing more processing power for better visualization;
Rugged: The tablet is lightweight, less than a pound, with drop protection, weather resistance, and about 8 hours of battery life;
Seamless operation: For the Spot Arm, Boston Dynamics offers an additional physical joystick attachment with two five-way buttons and two bumper buttons. These accessories ensure greater operator capability when driving the robot and operating the arm.
The Charger of the Spot Quadruped Robot is smarter, charges faster, and can fill up the latest model of battery in an hour or less. Customers can obtain battery level information in real time through the OLED display and can directly charge the robot or hot-swap the battery for continuous operation.
Extend the payload ecosystem
The robot itself is only part of it. The complete Spot solution includes communities, customization options, and a collaborative ecosystem to help get the most value from your bots. As a result, customers can equip Spot with a variety of payloads, including additional cameras, sensors, laser scanners, and more. These payloads, combined with specialized software, enable Spot to collect and process data, providing industrial teams with valuable insights into the real-time state of the facility.
As the ecosystem continues to evolve, Boston Dynamics announced the availability of two new hardware that will support higher-level computing, radio communications and 5G connectivity.
The first is Spot CORE I/O, a new high-efficiency computer payload that enables Spot to process data in the field for tasks including on-site inspections based on computer vision, continuous data collection, and more. The unit uses the Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX module, which includes a 6-core ARM processor with a dedicated GPU.
Boston Dynamics has also added support for 5G connectivity with the Spot CORE I/O payload, including a built-in 5G modem. New communication options enable the benefits of 5G connectivity, such as faster, more reliable network connections.
This is followed by the Rajant Kinetic Mesh Radio Suite, which helps customers quickly and easily deploy Spot in isolated networks without the need for infrastructure. Whether in remote environments, underground, or in areas facing physical obstacles or RF interference, the kit provides a secure and reliable full-site network covering up to 200,000 square feet.
Reference Links:
https://blog.bostondynamics.com/doing-more-with-spot
https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/3/23055122/boston-dynamics-spot-video-upgrades-industrial-setting-dancing