Entertaining People and Working in Dangerous Zones: Types of Robot Dogs and What They Can Do
Four-legged robots resembling dogs are made not only by Boston Dynamics. Let's look at examples of robot dogs used at home and in industry.
ANYmal from ANYbotics
The ANYmal robot from the Swiss company is useful at large industrial facilities, in potentially explosive areas and in construction. The robot dog is always ready to help in rescue operations in difficult terrain — in swamps, forests and collapsed buildings.
The robot can deliver parcels weighing up to 10 kg. ANYmal is already working at BASF, a chemical products manufacturer. The devices inspect an industrial complex of 10 km² — they patrol the territory and collect data on equipment operation.
Also, the Malaysian energy company Petronas is testing the robot on oil and gas platforms. Oil and gas facilities are usually located in extreme weather conditions and equipped with steep ladders. They constantly need to be inspected — checking the operability and safety of the equipment.
The dog can climb and descend stairs, overcome obstacles and crawl in narrow spaces. Rain, wind and snow are no obstacle to its work. The robot is ready to work in both bright light and complete darkness. It also easily opens doors, disposes of waste and presses buttons.
ANYmal can move autonomously, but a person can control it with a joystick and cameras. The robot dog's operating time is 90 minutes. After finishing its work, it connects to a charging station: fast charging to 70% takes 100 minutes, and a full charge takes three hours.
Spot from Boston Dynamics
The company offers its four-legged robot for boring, dirty and dangerous work. It can be used in construction, the oil and gas industry, or for mining. Spot is equipped with remote control.
Police and firefighters can use the robot to observe potentially dangerous situations from a distance — checking suspicious objects for dangerous materials or explosives, and digging through debris from an explosion or fire.
The New York Police Department tested the robot but renamed it Digidog. The robot dog was used to inspect the basement of a house where a shooting suspect had barricaded himself. It also helped feed five hostages held by two armed men.
In France, Spot took part in combat exercises with people — it carried out reconnaissance missions.
At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the robot helped examine patients in a Boston hospital — doctors attached a tablet to it and could monitor patients' condition while staying at a safe distance.
The dog is used for work at Kidd Creek in Canada — one of the deepest mines in the world, where metal, copper, zinc and silver are extracted.
NASA uses Spot to explore lava caves on Earth. Wheeled or tracked robots could not reach the places researchers needed, while the robot dog is stable enough.
Spot is equally stable on loose gravel and on grass. It climbs curbs and stairs, carries loads of up to 14 kg, follows a set route and works in the rain thanks to IP54 protection.
External equipment (for example, an arm for grasping and moving objects) and sensors can be attached to the robot. It can dance and do somersaults.
CyberDog from Xiaomi
The robot dog runs on an artificial intelligence platform, is equipped with many sensors for orienting itself in its surroundings, accelerates up to 11.5 km/h and performs backflips.
The device responds to voice and follows its owner, whom it can recognize using facial and posture recognition. The company created it so that users would "stimulate the development and potential of four-legged robots". We have already covered CyberDog in more detail.
Unitree
The Chinese company sells robots for home use and aims to make them as affordable as smartphones. You can walk the robot dog, take it jogging, and even have it carry a water bottle. Five models are presented:
- Go1 — weighs 12 kg and accelerates up to 17 km/h. The robot walks alongside its owner, like a real dog.
- Ben-Ben — a dog with a bull's head that can stand on its hind legs, do somersaults and dance.
- Laikago Pro — can squat, turn, and walk forward and backward. The robot is named after Laika, the first space dog.
- Aliengo — runs quickly forward and backward, crawls and jumps, performs a backflip, and climbs up and down steps.
- A1 — follows a person, recognizes gestures and avoids obstacles. The company claims the robot can become a "companion for the whole day".
AlphaDog from Welian
The Chinese startup believes the robot dog can be a household helper. It is also planned to be adapted to help visually impaired people. The robot can protect people and their belongings, patrol parks, inspect factories and take part in rescue operations.
AlphaDog moves at speeds of up to 15 km/h, maintains balance and adapts to changing environmental conditions. It uses AI technology to "see" and "hear" its surroundings. The company has presented four robot models that differ in size and specifications.
Aibo from Sony
The companion robot has feelings, and as it grows up it develops a "character". Only the owner determines how the dog is raised and what it becomes. A front camera, sensors and displays help the robot dog behave as if it were a real puppy — blinking and responding to affection.
The robot's mood changes — it can be surprised, angry, happy, sad, bored, fall asleep on the move and express pleasure. Aibo recognizes voices and faces, so it can "recognize" family members.
The robot dog's battery life is two hours, and charging takes three hours. Using the app, the owner can give it a name, set its gender and even choose the tricks it will be taught.
