Construction
Spot went on general sale to US businesses at $74,500. Before that, more than 150 had been placed with companies and labs through a lease-only early program.
A dated step forward on the record · Company-reported · Sets Spot's stage
What the source says
“Through the program, over 150 Spot robots were placed in domestic and international businesses and research facilities.”
What it means
Spot, from Boston Dynamics, is at stage 4 of 5 on our ladder: paying customers. This event is one of the milestones that placed it there. This line rests on the company's own announcement; no regulator, customer or independent report confirms it in our sources yet.
Human help: The maker hasn't said whether people help it remotely.
More on Spot
- The Department of Homeland Security awarded Connecticut company Radeco $1.3 million to supply immigration agency ICE with modified Boston Dynamics robot dogs; over 300 Boston Dynamics employees petitioned against the sale.
- Wichita, Kansas, city council approved buying one Spot robot for police bomb-squad work, at an estimated cost of about $330,000.
- Boston Dynamics said it had deployed more than 2,000 Spot and Stretch (warehouse) robots in total, and released a software update that adds security patrols.
- Hyundai Motor Group completed its purchase of an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank, in a deal that valued the company at $1.1 billion.
- New York City police ended their $94,000 contract for a Spot robot (nicknamed "Digidog") early, after public criticism.
- Boston Dynamics began offering Spot to a small group of chosen early business customers, picked for having a practical use for it.