The Future of Quadruped Robots

Quadruped robots are likely to play a significant role in human life in the near future. These robots are currently being developed by various companies around the world, with Boston Dynamics being the most advanced. Boston Dynamics was established in the 1990s and is now owned by Alphabet, a California-based technology holding company of which Google is a subsidiary. With this background, one can imagine the role Google will play in the development of such robots. Currently, Google is working on artificial intelligence, which will encompass everything from Google Translate and Pixel phones to self-driving cars and even quadruped robots. Quadruped robots, or dog-like robots, initially had military applications, but gradually their use will extend to other areas of human life. Boston Dynamics has managed to create a very high level of balance in these robots. In 2005, the company introduced BigDog, a robot with hydraulic legs that weighed about 150 kilograms and was approximately 1.8 meters long. This robot was designed to carry loads in combat and difficult terrain, easily climbing mountainous areas and carrying up to 150 kilograms. In 2009, the company introduced LittleDog, which was more of a prototype with a battery life of only 30 minutes. In 2012, AlphaDog was introduced, which had received investment from the U.S. Army. This robot was able to move 180 kilograms over a distance of about 30 kilometers during a mission. Compared to BigDog, this model produced less noise and, unlike LittleDog, was not electric but used an internal combustion engine. This robot locates its path using GPS. It examines its surroundings using Lidar, a technology that measures distances through laser and analysis of reflected light. Radar and Lidar operate on similar principles, with the difference that radars use radio waves while Lidars use laser waves. In 2013, the company optimized BigDog, enabling it to lift objects weighing up to 20 kilograms with an arm. In 2015, a new robot named Spot was introduced, weighing 75 kilograms and operating on electricity. This product was equipped with a 360-degree Lidar system, making it faster, more agile, and quieter. In 2016, the Spot Mini model was introduced, weighing only 25 kilograms and not using hydraulic legs like previous models. This electric robot could operate for about an hour and a half on a single charge. It was further developed in 2017 to perform smoother movements. In 2018, it was reported that this robot continued to evolve, with a new model capable of effectively finding paths and now equipped with an arm that can lift even delicate objects. These robots are expected to become commercial in the near future and may soon become capable workers in homes and factories.