Latest news with #BostonDynamics
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Even robots get stage fright! Watch the horrifying moment a robot dog COLLAPSES on stage during America's Got Talent audition
Boston Dynamics' Spot robot dogs wowed the America's Got Talent judges with their dancing in an incredible audition. Five of the 35kg robots showed off their moves to Queen's Don't Stop Me Now in an incredible feat of engineering. But it turns out that even robots can get stage fright, as one of the dancing bots collapsed just minutes into the performance. On social media, commenters joked that the robot must have been 'tired of all the rehearsals'. Even after one of their members collapsed, the robotic performers continued to strut and sway across the stage without missing a beat for their entire 90-second routine. And the slip-up didn't hold this unique dance troupe back as the judges swiftly awarded four 'yes' votes, sending them through to the next round of the competition. Even the usually surly Simon Cowell couldn't hold back a smile as he said: 'Can I be honest with you? I don't mean this in a cruel way. It was weirdly better that one of them died. 'Because it showed how difficult this was.' As Simon Cowell points out, the fact these robots were able to keep dancing despite the loss of a team member points to their impressive design. Each of the Spot robots has a degree of autonomy over its moves, which lets them avoid any obstacles while still staying as close to the choreography as possible, just like a human dancer would. In this performance, that technical prowess let the robots dance around their fallen member and navigate the stage with ease. However, even though the pressure of performance appeared to have gotten to one of the robots, it wasn't down for good. The onstage representative for the company said: 'We have a saying at Boston Dynamics: build it, break it, fix it.' And, as if on cue, the fallen robot leapt to its feet and ran to the front of the stage amidst wild cheering from the crowd. The show's judges were amazed by the performance and gushed over the robots' dance moves. Howie Mandel said: 'After 20 years, how can we see something we haven't seen on this stage?' While Melanie B added: 'It's kind of blown my mind a little bit because I've never seen anything like this before and I want to thank you for bringing this to the stage.' But it wasn't just the judges who were impressed, as social media users rushed to share their amazement. One excited commenter wrote: 'They could do the halftime show at the Super Bowl. This is awesome!!' Another added: 'This act was completely different than anything I've seen before on this show. I'm excited to see what they bring on next!' But not everyone was quite so enthusiastic, as some found the dancing just as creepy as it was impressive. One commenter wrote: 'Well that was equally entertaining and terrifying at the same time.' 'I'm amazed and creeped out at the same time,' joked another. One scared commenter chimed in: 'In ten years, we'll be running from these in terror, but yeah cute performance.' On social media, fans were amazed by the technical prowess of the robotic performance Some commenters were less impressed, saying the performance was just as creepy as it was entertaining One scared commenter said that we would be 'running from these in terror' within ten years But this is not the first time that Boston Dynamics' robot dogs have impressed audiences with their dancing. In 2021, the robots joined superstar K-pop group BTS to film a music video. In a blog post at the time Eric Whitman, a Boston Dynamics roboticist said: 'There were a lot of challenges around getting the vision of our choreographer, who's used to dealing with human dancers, into our software. 'Robots have the advantage over humans in that they're very repeatable: Once you get it right, it stays right. 'But they have the disadvantage that you have to tell them every little detail. They don't improvise at all.' In order to allow Spot to learn complex dance routines, Boston Dynamics has its own 'Choreographer' software. This software understands Spot's environment and physics and prioritises staying upright before completing the exact dance moves. If the choreography calls for something that Spot won't be able to complete, then the software instructs the robot to perform the closest possible move without falling over. This lets choreographers give the robots broad instructions such as 'sway' or 'step' without telling the robot exactly what angle to bend its legs to. However, costing around $75,000 (£55,000) each, Spot isn't designed to fill out the ranks of dance troupes. Instead, these robots are primarily designed for inspecting industrial environments like factories or working in places that aren't safe for humans. Their four-legged design which allows for such creative dancing is intended to allow access areas that wheeled robots can't access. WHAT IS BOSTON DYNAMICS' SPOT MINI ROBO-DOG? Boston Dynamics first showed off Spot, the most advanced robot dog ever created, in a video posted in November 2017. The firm, best known for Atlas, its 5 foot 9 (1.7 metre) humanoid robot, has revealed a new 'lightweight' version of its robot Spot. The robotic canine was shown trotting around a yard, with the promise that more information from the notoriously secretive firm is 'coming soon'. 'Spot is a small four-legged robot that comfortably fits in an office or home' the firm says on its website. It weighs 25 kg (55 lb), or 30 kg (66 lb) when you include the robotic arm. Spot is all-electric and can go for about 90 minutes on a charge, depending on what it is doing, the firm says, boasting 'Spot is the quietest robot we have built.' Spot was first unveiled in 2016, and a previous version of the mini version of spot with a strange extendable neck has been shown off helping around the house. In the firm's previous video, the robot is shown walking out of the firm's HQ and into what appears to be a home. There, it helps load a dishwasher and carries a can to the trash. It also at one point encounters a dropped banana skin and falls dramatically - but uses its extendable neck to push itself back up. 'Spot is one of the quietest robots we have ever built, the firm says, due to its electric motors. 'It has a variety of sensors, including depth cameras, a solid state gyro (IMU) and proprioception sensors in the limbs.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Watch: Boston Dynamics Robots dances at America's Got Talent, dies mid-performance onstage
Boston Dynamics' four legged Spot robots recently impressed everyone with their dance performance on 'America's Got Talent'. The robots managed to impress everyone with their synchronised dance steps on the iconic hit song ' Don't Stop Me Now'. However,an unexpected mishap during the performance made their dance video viral. All the five spot robots started dancing and all of a sudden one of the robot froze mid-performance. However, the remaining four robots continued with the dance performance and later earned a standing ovation and 'yes' vote from the judges of the show. Boston Dynamics' four legged Spot robots danced on America's Got Talent All the five Spot robots from Boston Dynamics took to the stage and started their dance performance. Both the judges and the audience of the reality show were in awe seeing their synchronised movements which included swaying, spinning, and precise shifts in formation. At one point, their gripper arms even mimicked Freddie Mercury's signature mic stand gestures. However, the audition witnessed an unplanned turn when during the performance one of the robots abruptly stopped dancing and remained motionless on stage. Despite the sudden shut down of the robot, the other four robots continued their performance without missing a single beat. Reaction of the audience and judges to the dance performance by Boston Dynamics' four legged Spot robots After the performance, both the judges and the audience gave a standing ovation to the robots. When a Boston Dynamics engineer appeared on stage and was asked if the downed robot could be fixed, he confidently replied, "Of course. At Boston Dynamics, we believe in building, breaking, and fixing." In a dramatic moment, the seemingly lifeless robot then whirred back to life, stood up, and rejoined its fellow performers, eliciting an even louder cheer from the crowd. Cowell even remarked on the unexpected malfunction, suggesting it "was weirdly better that one of them died... because it showed how difficult this was. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Watch: Boston Dynamics' four-legged robots steal spotlight on ‘America's Got Talent'
From sword-swallowing magicians to singing dogs, there's been no shortage of bizarre acts that have turned up during auditions for season 20 of the popular reality television show 'America's Got Talent'. However, the bar for strange but spectacular performances was raised yet again last week when a group of four-legged robots appeared onstage to perform a synchronised dance routine to 'Don't Stop Me Now' by British rock band Queen. The robots named Spot were developed by US-based robotmaker Boston Dynamics. Their routine ran into a minor mishap with one of the five robots shutting down during the middle of the performance. However, all four judges of the reality show voted to advance the dance crew to the next round of the talent contest. Boston Dynamics' onstage act could be an attempt to make its bots go viral even as it supposedly struggles to sell the robots which are priced at an eye-watering $74,500. Spot is said to be the most advanced mobile robot in the world. It can be used to perform patrols and inspections. But it is more nimble than humanoid robots and lacks the physical strength required for tasks such as carrying packages or unloading trucks. At the end of their performance, judge Simon Cowell said, 'Can I be honest with you? I don't mean this in a cruel way. It was weirdly better that one of them died… because it showed how difficult this was.' 'So amazing. After 20 years, how can we see something we haven't seen on this stage? This is something we have never seen on this stage,' said Howie Mandel, another judge on the show. A few years ago, Boston Dynamics shared a video about how its robots are programmed to demonstrate its mobility like losing balance, falling, and getting up on its own. 'A natural consequence of pushing robots to their limit is that, sometimes, those limits are met,' Boston Dynamics wrote in a blog post at the time. Amid intensifying competition in the robotics industry, the company laid off five per cent of its workforce last year. 'We'll be singing / when we're winning.' 🔊 — Brian Heater (@bheater) August 17, 2021 It also permanently shut down Atlas, a hydraulic humanoid robot that was only intended as a technology demonstration. Unlike Spot and its warehouse logistics robot Stretch, Atlas was capable of carrying tools at a simulated construction site and doing actual work. 'For almost a decade, Atlas has sparked our imagination, inspired the next generations of roboticists, and leapt over technical barriers in the field. Now it's time for our hydraulic Atlas robot to kick back and relax,' the company said.
The Verge
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Posted Jun 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM EDT
Andrew Liszewski Boston Dynamics reminds us its robot dogs can dance. The company brought five of its Spot robodogs to America's Got Talent where they performed a choreographed routine to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' — although one got stage fright and collapsed. It's another attempt to make the company's bots go viral, but is it enough to sell a $74,500 robot that can't assemble cars or unload trucks? Boston Dynamics, which laid off five percent of its workforce last December, is now facing more and more competition.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Boston Dynamics robots dance to ‘Don't Stop Me Now' for ‘America's Got Talent' audition
A dance crew of four-legged robots from Boston Dynamics appeared on 'America's Got Talent' to perform a synchronized routine to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now.' Their performance was impressive enough to earn four 'yes' votes from the judges — but one of the five robots experienced some stage fright, perhaps, and shut down in the middle of the routine. But the show must go on, so nevertheless, the four other robots persisted. 'Can I be honest with you?' judge Simon Cowell asked at the conclusion of their performance. 'I don't mean this in a cruel way. It was weirdly better that one of them died… because it showed how difficult this was.' Cowell has a point — we can understand the technology better when we see where and how it can fail. For many years, Boston Dynamics was tight-lipped about the mishaps of its robots, cultivating an image of these perfect, futuristic beings that can do no wrong. But a few years back, the company shared footage that shows how precisely engineered the robots need to be to create the kinds of videos that go viral. 'A natural consequence of pushing robots to their limit is that, sometimes, those limits are met,' Boston Dynamics wrote in a blog post at the time, recounting how its Atlas robots would often lose balance and fall while doing parkour. In a silver lining for Boston Dynamics, the robots' imperfect television performance might end up being more memorable than a perfectly executed (dare I say, robotic?) dance. Remember that deflated Pikachu? Sign in to access your portfolio
