Latest news with #robotdogs
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- South China Morning Post
How do the US robot dogs in Trump's military parade stack up against China's?
The US Army showed robot dogs during the 250th anniversary parade in Washington on Saturday, in a future-focused segment showcasing its pursuit of technological superiority in autonomous and intelligent combat. Advertisement Two models of autonomous robotic dogs – formally known as quadruped unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGVs) – and their operators marched alongside traditional army equipment, passing before President Donald Trump in front of the White House. The US Marine Corps also has robot dogs, using them in patrol and reconnaissance operations, especially for some of the dangerous missions, such as the detection of explosives. But the US military is not the only player in this arena. China has invested heavily in the technology, with the People's Liberation Army deploying similar Q-UGVs in a range of operations. Unmanned autonomous systems are a key feature of modern warfare, and Q-UGVs have several unique advantages in certain applications compared to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and wheeled unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Advertisement In an urban combat setting, UAVs lack a sustained ground presence and have difficulty navigating indoors or flying low between buildings. UGVs also struggle to navigate rubble, stairs or road barriers.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gathering stormclouds can't wipe smile from Trump's face as long-held dream of military parade is realised
It may have been billed as a military parade to celebrate the American military's history, but it said even more about the country's present and future under Donald Trump. Soldiers, tanks and even robot dogs paraded along Constitution Ave. on Saturday, as paratroopers swooped in from overhead and military aircraft buzzed past the Washington Monument for the first major military parade held in the US capital since the victory after the first Gulf War of 1991. Or was this all a celebration for Trump's 79th birthday? As the president took the stage under ominous stormclouds, it appeared that the celebrant could not have beamed any wider, his eight-year-old dream of holding a military parade in the capital finally coming to fruition. Related: 'No Kings' protests stir US as Trump celebrates birthday with military parade – in pictures For both his supporters and opponents who flocked to the National Mall on Saturday, this was 'Trump's parade' (he even billed it as his own in a fundraising email this week). 'This could only happen under President Trump,' bellowed one voice after the Star-Spangled Banner played on the National Mall as families queued to sit in Army helicopters and atop anti-aircraft batteries. It felt like it could have been a scene from Moscow. Such is the line-blurring taking place as America's military finds itself at the centre of the most contentious legal fight in decades. While the Trump administration has vowed to limit the military's footprint abroad, it has also greenlit the deployment of hundreds of marines to Los Angeles in a controversial move that has led to legal battles and the eruption of protests around the country against the aggressive use of law enforcement to arrest and deport immigrants. For Trump, the parade is an opportunity to signal the ambitions of his administration's second term: no longer constrained by concerns over a price tag estimated as high as $90m or the concerns of comparisons to authoritarian leaders who also love to parade their tanks and missiles. 'Every other country celebrates their victories. It's about time America did, too,' Trump said on Saturday night. 'That's what we're doing tonight.' It is also a paradox: Donald Trump campaigned on the premise of ending foreign wars, and yet what Americans got was a show of strength in the heart of Washington DC. JD Vance, the voice of Trump's anti-interventionist foreign policy, spoke to that contradiction, telling the assembled soldiers that the parade was a sign of the administration's respect for America's servicemen and women. 'To our soldiers, we're so proud of you,' he said. 'And let me tell you, the way that we honor and respect you, number one, we never ask you to go to war unless you absolutely have to.' Trump's love of military pomp is well known. His desire for a parade goes back at least to his attendance of the French Bastille Day parades in 2017, when he was so in awe of the event that he said it was a 'tremendous thing for France and for the spirit of France.' 'We're going to have to try to top it,' he added. Whether he succeeded in that is a question that will be fought on cable television and in internet forums. There were sour notes, as when several second world war-era tanks creaked past the tribune. Yet many of the attending faithful appeared overjoyed at the spectacle. Administration officials have pushed back at criticism that it is a reflection of an authoritarian turn under Trump. 'No one ever calls Macron a dictator for celebrating Bastille Day,' one official told CNN. Yet Trump has also indicated that his parade is meant to keep up with the real heavyweights, including the yearly Victory Day parade in Russia meant to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany. 'We had more to do with winning World War II than any other nation,' he said this week. 'Why don't we have a Victory Day? So we're going to have a Victory Day for World War I and for World War II.' Parades do not exist in vacuums – they expand and change to reflect the political times in which a country lives. Russia's Victory Day celebrations became muted marches under the administration of Boris Yeltsin. In 2008, Putin reintroduced the T-90 tanks and heavy ballistic missiles to recognise Russia's resurgent military might and geopolitical ambitions. Months later, Russia invaded Georgia in a war that many say presaged the later invasion of Ukraine. Yet sitting in front of the assembled crowds on Saturday evening, the president managed to hold his event – defying the skepticism over the spectacle and even the forecasts of a downpour that would rain on his parade.
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.
The Verge
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
The company brought five of its Spot robodogs to
Andrew Liszewski Boston Dynamics reminds us its robot dogs can dance. 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.
Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
From guides to guards: Robot dogs find new roles across Singapore's public and private sectors
SINGAPORE, May 12 — From guarding bus depots to guiding the visually impaired, robot dogs are increasingly taking on diverse roles in Singapore, marking a new phase in the city-state's growing adoption of robotics. The quadruped robots, known for their dog-like agility, have become a fixture in several industries here — patrolling construction sites, navigating hazardous zones, and even assisting with social services, according to a report published today in The Straits Times. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Boston Dynamics' robot dog Spot was deployed at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park to enforce safe distancing. Since then, its successors have expanded their scope, with one recently seen accompanying Progress Singapore Party candidate Tony Tan on an election walkabout. According to Chan U-Gene, deputy director at the National Robotics Programme (NRP), Singapore has seen rising interest in robot dogs, particularly for surveillance and inspection tasks. The NRP now tracks more than 300 robotics-related firms — up from 200 in 2023 — reflecting a sector in rapid expansion. While the NRP does not track exact deployment numbers, Chan noted that legged robots offer distinct advantages over wheeled types due to their ability to navigate uneven terrain, stairs, and narrow spaces. Lower costs have also driven adoption. New models from Chinese manufacturers now cost as little as US$2,700 (RM11,600), a fraction of Boston Dynamics' original US$75,000 price tag. At the National University of Singapore (NUS), researchers are trialling robot dogs as assistive guide dogs for the visually impaired. Robotics PhD student Cai Shaojun said the machines are cheaper and easier to train than real guide dogs and can respond to complex commands using artificial intelligence. Cai's team has tested the robots with visually impaired users and is developing them to navigate stairs and complex environments. A pilot is planned for 2025 at public locations like parks and transport hubs. NUS AI Lab is also building software that enables robots to read social cues and move smoothly through crowded spaces, said associate director Harold Soh. Robot dogs are also being deployed as guard dogs. Since September 2024, SBS Transit has used a robot named Mars, developed with Weston Robot, to patrol Seletar Bus Depot. Fitted with high-definition cameras, thermal sensors and live-feed capabilities, Mars monitors for intrusions and tampering, especially in areas difficult for human guards to access. Spot's earlier deployments included monitoring crowd levels and broadcasting safety messages at parks, and delivering medicine at the Changi Exhibition Centre during the pandemic. Other robot dogs now support inspection roles. SP Group uses a robot named SPock to assist in checking up to 6km of underground tunnels, detecting issues like cracks or moisture that are invisible to the naked eye. At Sengkang MRT Depot, SBS Transit introduced Avatar (Advanced Video Analytics Train Assessment Robot) in July 2024 to inspect train undercarriages for issues such as air leaks or loose tank caps, helping technicians reduce physical strain. The robot's agility allows it to climb stairs and navigate tight spaces. SBS Transit is considering expanding its use to detect broken lights and damaged handles. NUS researchers are also exploring robot dog use in public housing, with robots scanning staircases for uniformity in step height and depth. The project is expected to be commercialised as a start-up soon, said project lead Justin Yeoh.
