Google Acquires Robot Manufacturing Company Boston Dynamics

Just what is that Google doesn’t do? If you answered robots, it’s time to think of something else. Google has purchased a robotic engineering company, known as Boston Dynamics.

Boston Dynamics wants to change your idea of what robots can do. According to he company’s website, they “build advanced robots with remarkable behavior: mobility, agility, dexterity, and speed. We use senor-based controls and computation to unlock the capabilities of complex mechanisms. Our world-class development teams take projects from initial concept to proof-of-principle prototyping to build-test-build engineering, to field testing and low-rate production.” The company also sites that organizations such as the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Navy turn to Boston Dynamics as a source for advice for creating advanced robots.

The highlight robot in Boston Dynamics’ collection are BigDog, a four-legged robot that specializes in traveling over multiple types of terrain and PETMAN, a humanoid robot that focuses on military clothing and equipment testing. The manufacturer recently unveiled the WildCat, a four-legged robot designed for speed running. WildCat was developed with funding from DARPA’s M3 robotics-engineering program.

Google’s very own Andy Rubin told The New York Times earlier this month that his next big project at Google was to pursue a lifelong admiration of robots. Clear-cut details concerning the price and terms of the deal are unknown at this point. However, Google told the NYT that existing contracts, including a $10.8 million contract inked this year with DARPA would be honored. Though it may sound like Google aspires to become some sort of a military contractor due to this DARPA deal, Times cites Google has said that they have no plans to do so.

Keep in mind, that Google has recently hired Ray Kurweil, who has taken the quest of director of engineering at the company. Kurweil is known for supporting the notion of a technological singularity, a point in our history where AI-systems will overtake human abilities. Google also has other robotic companies including Autofuss and Bot & Dolly, Schaft, Industrial Perception, Meka, Redwood Robtics, and Holomni.

This may be just another project by Google or something that could take off from the company. Either way, what do you guys think? Are robots a part of our future?

Source: CNET