Jason Ford

Google acquires Boston Dynamics

News

Google has acquired Boston Dynamics, the MIT spin-out responsible for robots such as the Big Dog quadraped and Cheetah, the world’s fastest legged robot.

Other developments from the company include PETMAN, an anthropomorphic robot for testing equipment, RISE, a robot that climbs vertical surfaces, and SquishBot, a shape-changing chemical robot that moves through tight spaces.

‘What a great opportunity this is for us to become part of Google, and to work with the gangbuster Google team,’ said Marc Raibert, founder of Boston Dynamics via email. ‘We have had a great time building unusual robots and bringing them this far along. Now we can take them to the next level and push robotics much further ahead. The entire Boston Dynamics robotics team will continue on here in Waltham, as part of Google.’

Boston Dynamics is better known for its impressive range of robots developed in projects with DARPA, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Big Dog was developed to negotiate all types of rough terrain and in March this year it was revealed that the robot had been modified to handle and throw heavy objects.

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