Boston Dynamics SpotMini Resists Human Interference to Open Door
Boston Dynamics releases a video showing its SpotMini robot autonomously opening a door while a human tries to stop it with a hockey stick. The demonstration highlights the robot's ability to handle physical disturbances, though it still requires initial human guidance.
Boston Dynamics shares a new video that demonstrates the robustness of its SpotMini robot dog by showing it successfully opening a door while a human interferes with a hockey stick. The robot withstands the violent tugging on its tether and eventually navigates through the doorway, highlighting its advanced balance and locomotion software.
Despite the impressive display, the robot is not fully autonomous. A human operator drives SpotMini up to the door, points its arm at the handle, and issues a "GO" command before the machine takes over. From that point forward, onboard cameras and software allow the robot to locate the handle, assess the door's position, and adjust its behavior automatically when disturbed.
Opening doors remains a significant challenge in the robotics industry, as evidenced by the struggles of humanoid robots during the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge. While recent examples from Boston Dynamics and Ghost Robotics show progress in this area, engineers still avoid round doorknobs due to the complex manipulation they require.