Wow: Boston Dynamics posted a video of its SpotMini robot asking its buddy for help getting a door open after having a hard time turning the handle.
The short clip shows the bot extending an arm out of its head to turn a handle. With the dexterity of a tray-carrying butler, it uses its foot to prop the door ajar, then elbows it all the way open for its (armless) SpotMini friend to walk through. At face value, it’s a pretty incredible feat. But it’s also an interesting twist in the quest to make robots that get along with a world built by and for humans. Maybe the Darpa Robotics Challenge had it wrong with humanoids after all, and the best robots for rescue operations will look nothing like humans—or any other animal, for that matter.
Thoughts??