Google Buys Boston Dynamics
This is one of the most widely covered stories today. A story like this always generates wild theories and interesting reactions.
Why Google Just Bought Boston Dynamics and its Robotic Beasts from MIT Technology Review
Google is making a big drive into robotics. It has acquired seven other other robotics startups in recent months as part of an effort led by Andy Rubin, the man who previouslyled the development of the Android mobile operating system (see “Why Google is Buying So Many Robotics Startups”). Google hasn’t yet said what it plans to do with the robotics technologies it has acquired, but they include manipuation, vision, and other areas of innovation that are likely to become increasingly important. Although Boston Dynamic’s machines can bound across wild terrain, and run at great speed, the approach it has pioneered could be useful for more mundane purposes, like climbing a flight of stairs, or staying balanced when accidentally shoved.
Reddit reactions are always fascinating and some times quite funny (a strange coincidence that I was watching Terminator 2 yesterday).
First time accepted submitter totally_mad writes”The New York Times reports that Google has acquired Boston Dynamics, a company that is primarily a concept robot maker for the military. The robot wars appear to be heating up between the big corporations, with Amazon recently announcing plans to have 30-minute home deliveries using drones. Perhaps Boston Dynamics’, or now Google’s, Cheetahwill outrun the drone!”
Recently when I was in Coimbatore driving to a meeting, we saw an elephant walking down the road. It is becoming a rare sight but I always enjoy it. I am wondering whether walking down on Castro in Mountain View, I will be watching a Big Dog or Wild Cat running past me with a load of deliveries.
Personally, though, I would love to have Google make toy robots that combine these technologies with Siri like interfaces as companions for children. Seeing how my grand daughter (just 2 years old) interacts with Talking Tom app on iPad, I think the next generation kids are going to have a ball.
3 thoughts on “Google and Boston Dynamics”
I think I was expecting something like this. After the driverless car, how could the riderless horse have been far behind?
In fact one of the articles talks about these robots being an alternative delivery method to drones. But I think it is something bigger than that. We will see.
Yeah, Dorai. I’ll agree with you on that. It’s going to be something bigger. I am guessing household robots. That’s got to be the next big thing. In fact, Aiaioo Labs is working on *something* there as well, but yeah, we’re still light years away from where we want to be.
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