A Clever Little Robot Goes to Work in Industry

After Elon Musk announced his intentions of being in the robot business in a big way, the internet has been alive with many of the more established robot companies saying “Hey, don’t forget about us. We already build useful robots than can do a lot more than stand there and wave.”

Boston Dynamics, which gets a great deal of attention by showing YouTube videos of robots having a dance party or running a parkour course released this promotional video focussed on their dog-like robot appropriately named Spot. However its purpose was strictly business; showing Spot actually doing work in industry with a focus on inspecting and monitoring huge industrial facilities like petroleum refineries. Their message: Buy our Spot robot and you won’t have to support people on a remote oil rig to to read gauges and inspect for leaks. And, since it can see in the dark, you can turn off all the lights.