Boston Dynamics' Spot Mini Robot Can Now Help Its Friends Escape Captivity

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Boston Dynamics continues to frighten and amaze us with each iteration of its acrobatic and highly mobile robots. When we last visited the robotics company, its nearly 6-foot tall Atlas robot was jumping over obstacles and performing backflips (sticking the landing like a boss, we should add). Now, it's Spot Mini's turn to get a little bit of time in the limelight.

We first got a glimpse at Spot Mini back in mid-November, but now the robotic dog has been upgraded to perform even more helpful tasks. In this case, a regular Spot Mini walks up to a door, only to be stymied by the door handle. How could the four-legged robot possibly grab the handle, pull it down and walk through on its own? Well, it obviously can't, so that's where a second Spot Mini steps into view with a grappling arm attached to it back.

What happens next is nothing short of fascinating... the second Spot Mini opens the door with its arm and swings the door open just enough to allow both robots to "escape" from the lab.

We must say, this is an awesome display of team work on the part of the robots, and only adds to our impending Skynet doom if they ever turn against us. Imagine these suckers rampaging through battlefields with machines guns on their back or frickin' laser beams attached to their heads. Someone would bound to be in for a world of hurt.

But for now, we can just sit back and marvel at how cute these machines are even if their lifelike mannerisms are really starting to make us sweat a bit...

Brandon Hill

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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