Hyundai Motor Group has made a major move into the world of mobile robotics, announcing that it has acquired a majority stake in Boston Dynamics from Japanese technology firm Softbank. Most famous for its ever-impressive robotic dog named Spot, Boston Dynamics will now work together with the automaker on technologies that advance human mobility.<\/p>\n
Boston Dynamics first put Spot on sale in June of last year, and among its stable of agile machines the dog-like quadruped is undoubtedly the star of the show. We've seen it go to work herding sheep in New Zealand, tracking the vital signs of COVID-19 patients and inspecting construction sites, to list just a few of its responsibilities.<\/p>\n
But Boston Dynamics is no one-trick pony. It has also developed a back-flipping humanoid robot called Atlas, a leaping, wheeled robot called Handle and an advanced version of Handle called Stretch, which is optimized for warehouse work and is expected to go on sale next year.<\/p>\n
All of this appears to have caught the eye of the Hyundai Motor Group, which reportedly entered talks last year with owner Softbank to buy the robot-maker. The deal has now been made official and values Boston Dynamics at US$1.1 billion, with Hyundai now holding an 80-percent controlling stake and leaving Softbank with the remaining 20 percent.<\/p>\n
Hyundai describes this as another step in its transformation into a \"Smart Mobility Solution Provider,\" to go alongside its other investments in autonomous driving, AI, urban aircraft and robotics. The two will work together on robots for wide-ranging applications, from logistics to manufacturing, while also continuing to expand Boston Dynamic's lineup of mobile machines.<\/p>\n
The promo video for the announcement can be viewed below.<\/p>\n
Hyundai x Boston Dynamics | As mobility evolves so does humanity<\/p>\n
Source: Hyundai<\/p>\n
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Hyundai buys Boston Dynamics, maker of Spot the robotic dog - New Atlas<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hyundai Motor Group has made a major move into the world of mobile robotics, announcing that it has acquired a majority stake in Boston Dynamics from Japanese technology firm Softbank. Most famous for its ever-impressive robotic dog named Spot, Boston Dynamics will now work together with the automaker on technologies that advance human mobility Continue reading