SPOT - Your Synthetic Best Friend

This robotic dog is capable of a lot of amazing things, but it lacks the personality and instincts of an actual canine

- Aidan Wiggill

Released in September 2019 and built by robotics company Boston Dynamics, Spot is a fully autonomous four-legged robot. Guided by an on-board artificial intelligence software, Spot is able to adaptively process data and draw insights out of any given environment in order to navigate and keep itself balanced while performing tasks. Spot is even able to self-correct if it falls over or encounters an impassable object. You’re also able to remotely control Spot if you encounter any areas that it cannot traverse on its own.

If you have an extra $74,500 (over one million in South African Rands) lying about, you can now purchase a Spot unit as a civilian. Spot was made available to the general public as Boston Dynamics’ first commercial product to enable non-academic and non-military users to explore what this type of robot can do in everyday situations.