• Contact Us
  • Login
Upgrade
Tech News Hero
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Gadgets
  • Social
  • Gaming
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Internet
  • Security
  • Apps
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Gadgets
  • Social
  • Gaming
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Internet
  • Security
  • Apps
No Result
View All Result
Tech News Hero
No Result
View All Result
Home News

2020 will change the way we look at robotics – TechCrunch

by technewshero
January 15, 2021
in News
0
2020 will change the way we look at robotics – TechCrunch
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Earlier this month, Hyundai acquired a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics that valued the company at $1.1 billion. What’s most interesting about the news isn’t the acquisition itself (it does, after all, find Boston Dynamics switching hands for the third time in seven years), but rather what the company’s evolution tells us about the state of robotics in 2020.

When the Waltham, Massachusetts-based startup was acquired by Google in 2013, it was still a carefully cultivated mystery. That the internet’s response to the company was largely one of curiosity shaded with discomfort should come as little surprise. Boston Dynamics’ primary output from a public relations perspective was viral videos of impressive but imposing quadrupedal robots built with the aid of defense department contracts. It doesn’t take a giant leap to begin coloring in the gaps with dystopian sentiment.

In instances where robotic deployment has been successful, the technology has helped ease the burden on an impacted workforce.

Some of that has continued to follow the company, of course. Even in the age of short attention spans, one doesn’t quickly forget an image of a man in a fleece vest unsuccessfully attempting to kick over a headless buzzing robot in an empty parking lot. Heck, to this day every post I do about the company is greeted with multiple gifs of the knife-wielding robot from the “Metalhead” episode of “Black Mirror.”

While the company is still committed to its more bleeding edge R&D concepts, Hyundai didn’t purchase a strange little MIT-spinoff that makes viral internet videos. It purchased a company actively working to monetize those efforts. As CEO Robert Playter told me in a recent interview, the company has sold 400 Spots since opening initial availability around 15 months ago. It’s not a huge number, but it’s a sign that interest in the company’s products extend well beyond novelty.

Spot’s primary task at the moment involves surveying dangerous workplaces, from nuclear reactors to oil rigs. Boston Dynamics’ next product, Handle, will move boxes around a warehouse. That robot is set to go on sale at some point in 2022. “I think something like a robot every couple of years is a pace that we could manage,” Playter told me. “From clean sheet, we can build a new robot in under a year. “And then you have to go through an iterative process of refining that concept and starting to understand market fit.”

Maturity in this industry requires a level of pragmatism. Tasked with describing the state of robotics in 2020, I would probably say it’s something like, “Cool technology employed for uncool tasks.” You can, no doubt, identify exceptions (making special effects for movies like Bot & Dolly is decidedly cool), but on the whole, Boston Dynamics is a perfect example of impressive robots doing boring stuff. Any roboticist will happily hammer into you the concept of the three Ds — the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs where the technology is most likely to be deployed.

Previous Post

Best smart home gadgets under $200 » Gadget Flow

Next Post

TechNewHero editors share their top stories of 2020 – TechNewHero

technewshero

technewshero

Related Posts

Fluence, the energy storage systems developer, is now worth over $1 billion after QIA investment – TechCrunch
News

Fluence, the energy storage systems developer, is now worth over $1 billion after QIA investment – TechCrunch

by technewshero
January 13, 2021
Elon Musk says SpaceX will attempt to recover Super Heavy rocket by catching it with launch tower – TechCrunch
News

Elon Musk says SpaceX will attempt to recover Super Heavy rocket by catching it with launch tower – TechCrunch

by technewshero
January 14, 2021
An earnest review of a robotic cat pillow – TechCrunch
News

An earnest review of a robotic cat pillow – TechCrunch

by technewshero
January 16, 2021
Trump vetoes major defense bill, citing Section 230 – TechNewHero
News

Trump vetoes major defense bill, citing Section 230 – TechNewHero

by technewshero
December 24, 2020
Bandit ML helps e-commerce businesses present the most effective offer to each shopper – TechNewHero
News

Bandit ML helps e-commerce businesses present the most effective offer to each shopper – TechNewHero

by technewshero
December 23, 2020
Next Post
TechNewHero editors share their top stories of 2020 – TechNewHero

TechNewHero editors share their top stories of 2020 – TechNewHero

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

Despite pandemic, gaming is well-positioned to withstand recession – TechNewHero

March 30, 2020
OkCupid Vulnerabilities Discovered That Could Have Let Hackers Access Personal Details of Online Daters

OkCupid Vulnerabilities Discovered That Could Have Let Hackers Access Personal Details of Online Daters

December 15, 2020

How to watch Australia vs India: live stream today’s T20 Women’s World Cup 2020 opener from anywhere

February 21, 2020

Browse by Category

  • Apps
  • Gadgets
  • Gaming
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • News
  • PC & Laptops
  • Security
  • Social
Tech News Hero

© 2020 Tech News Hero.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Landing Page
  • Buy JNews
  • Support Forum
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Tech News Hero.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?