By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
Google is known for its wild ‘moonshot’ projects. Self-driving cars, Google Glass, WiFi balloons, barges and now actual robots.
So Google’s bought Boston Dynamics, a company that says it, ” builds advanced robots with remarkable behavior: mobility, agility, dexterity and speed.” Some of BD’s creations include BigDog, a motorized robot that can plow through ice and snow, the Cheetah robot that can reach speeds of 29 MPH, and the most interesting one a humanoid robot known as PETMAN.
A spin off from Boston’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Boston Dynamics started building advanced robotics in 1992 and mostly as a contractor for the US Military. So, what do you get when you mix ordnance spec robots and Google’s vast computational power? We won’t know until Google discloses more details but the sky is the limit.
While Google has not disclosed how much it spent to buy Boston Dynamics, it did say it has no plans on becoming a military contractor, “on its own.”
In the age of drones, there are various uses for robots in the military such us bomb disposal and surveillance as well as handling jobs too dangerous for military personnel. Google only absorbs companies that have technology and expertise in areas that they don’t excel in and by bringing Boston Dynamics into its fold, there’s no telling what the search giant has in store.
The project seems to be in good hands, Andy Rubin, considered to be the father of Android, has since moved to pursue his love of real robots and has been given the backing of Google’s resources. Rubin Tweeted that the “future is looking awesome.”
Where Google goes, many seem to follow, so we can expect an increased interest in robots, artificial intelligence and applying these technologies to everyday life.
