Boston Dynamics has released new software and hardware for its autonomous Spot robot.
Spot 3.3 includes enhancements to inspection solutions, new features in Scout software, as well as new features to improve safety on busy jobsites.
With these updates, the robot can start working on a site in just a few hours and start to generate value in its first week of deployment.
Spot’s latest software includes multiple, simultaneous inspection types built into the platform and an updated inspection configuration workflow to deliver a seamless user experience.
As well, Boston Dynamics has introduced a full end-to-end thermal inspection workflow. In addition to triggering Scout notifications when equipment exceeds pre-set ranges, the user can set up inspection actions to capture multiple regions of interest in a single photo. Post-inspection, users have access to more data.
Visual inspections like gauge reading are also more integrated in the new software release. With a gauge reading computer vision add-on provided by Levatas, Spot can inspect analog gauges across your site, monitor trends through Scout, and trigger alerts for abnormal readings.
With a Fluke SV600 payload for Spot, the user can trigger acoustic inspection actions directly from a tablet and evaluate inspection results remotely through Scout. The SV600 can serve as an early warning system.
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All these inspection workflows are made easy through Boston Dynamic’s remote inspection software Scout. Scout is Spot’s one-stop shop for mission editing, mission scheduling, real-time data reviews and data transfer to an asset management system.
Boston Dynamics enhancements
Boston Dynamics also enhanced the robot to include an audio and visual signaling system. The robot also now includes an emergency stop button to increased safety.
The new audio-visual system is embedded into the robot and consists of safety lights located around the robot’s body, a safety buzzer and a speaker. This new system provides enhanced safety and awareness for people working near the robot in industrial settings.
To make sure people near Spot know what to expect, the system comes pre-configured with light patterns and tones to alert workers that Spot is performing actions in the area. These include:
- Standard operation: When Spot is operating as intended during normal mission activities, it will project a green blinking pattern
- Inspection underway: When the robot is conducting inspections white lights will flash
- Caution recommended: When people should pay extra attention and exercise caution around the robot, it will switch to an amber blinking pattern
- Stopped robot: When the robot’s emergency stop has been pressed, red lights will flash.
Emergency stop
As well, Spot now includes a physical emergency stop button on the back of the robot, in addition to the existing quick stop options on the tablet and in Scout. When the button is pressed, the robot will quickly and safely sit down.
Boston Dynamics also added moving object detection, which can be turned on anytime a Spot EAP 2 payload is attached. Using this payload’s lidar, the robot can detect moving objects such as people or forklifts. When the robot identifies a moving object in its path, it will signal, keep a safe distance and exercise increased caution as it continues on its mission.
