Boston Dynamic’s first “BigDog” robot may are the thing of robotic nightmares, but its smaller Spot has received mixed feedback both from people and corporations. The quadruped’s more streamlined appearance still doesn’t quickly remind one among a dog (or any living creature for that matter). Still, it’s become more approachable and a teeny bit cheaper to the purpose that companies, hospitals, and even governments have put it to some use. The newest to hitch that list of clientele is the Hyundai Motor Group, employing Spot as a late-night safety officer.
The “Factory Safety Service Robot” or just “The Robot” takes Boston Dynamics’ commercialized design for Spot the robot “dog” and equips it with additional software and hardware custom-made for the carmaker’s specific purposes. Specifically, Hyundai installed thermal cameras and 3D LiDAR alongside AI programs to permit the Robot to detect and identify people and various scenarios inside industrial areas. The goal is for the Robot to be ready to detect potential dangers and warn the acceptable personnel back at the centre.
For example, Hyundai’s Spot should be ready to tell if there’s a high-temperature risk in certain areas or if a door that ought to be closed was accidentally kept open. The Robot’s size allows it to travel through narrow spaces, and its sensors let it see things that human eyes might miss. It’s intended to support late-night patrols in factories to make sure overall worker safety.
While the Robot can navigate areas on its own, there’s also a choice to manually control it via teleoperation, just in case safety personnel must take a better look. Hyundai’s Spot provides a live stream of its activities and may trigger alarms, all from an easily accessible website at some designated centre.
The Hyundai Motor Group is testing its new Robot at Kia’s South Korean plant as a symbol of concept. If proven to achieve success, the carmaker envisions a fleet of Factory Service Safety Robots that will patrol different zones simultaneously while connected to one centre.
