Boston Dynamics' mechanical dog Spot is billed as a utility robot able to perform a variety of tasks, from navigating dangerous terrain to carrying heavy payloads, and now the robotics company has demonstrated that it can also play the world's least-thrilling game of fetch. Using a Spot model equipped with a robotic arm attachment, Boston Dynamics has released a tutorial showing how owners of the four-legged machine can teach it to pick up a thrown toy and return it to the thrower. If they would like Spot to play fetch elsewhere, say outside or in the living room, they would need to repeat the process again for each new environment. 'You might teach Spot to recognize litter (as distinct from other items in the environment), pick it up, and bring it to a trash can. Dog toys are just a jumping off point to a range of real-world possibilities.'

Source: Daily Mail June 06, 2021 18:30 UTC