For a few years now, the world of quadruped robots has been growing steadily. Two brands in particular have managed to make a name for themselves: Unitree Robotics and Boston Dynamics, with its Spot robot. Génération Robots is proud to be the official European distributor of both these leading mobile robotics brands. In this article we give a comprehensive overview of their robot dogs, each with their own specific advantages and features, for use in a wide variety of contexts.
SPOT, by Boston Dynamics: the most advanced robot dog
You’ve probably already heard of Spot, a quadruped robot that looks like a dog, easily recognisable by its yellow colour. Spot was imagined by Boston Dynamics, an American company that grew out of MIT best known for designing the Atlas robots, the humanoid Parkour champions!
Spot was revealed to the general public in 2016 and became commercially available from 2019.
Infinite potential
Robust and fully configurable, Spot stands out for its ability to move around in difficult environments, and above all for its wide range of applications:
Industrial sites: this is where the quadruped is most commonly found, it can automate inspection tasks and collect data reliably, even in hostile environments
Construction: it can monitor and track work progress on site by creating a digital representation of the construction
University and research: human/robot interaction, artificial intelligence, industrial research
And in the petroleum industry, energy sector, for mining, exploration, etc.
In March 2022, SNCF called on Génération Robots to see if the Spot robot could effectively complete inspection missions on double-decker Transilien trains. We wrote a blog post about it.
Impressive features
You’ll find all the main features of the Spot robot below:
Upgradeable with accessories and payloads
You can equip Spot with a wide range of accessories for carrying out even more missions. These add-ons (payloads) will increase or improve its functionalities.
Payloads designed for Spot robot optimisation include:
Payloads designed for Spot robot optimisation include:
Station for autonomous charging
Full-colour panoramic view
Full-colour, low-light panoramic view, microphone and speaker
Spot GXP adapter for adding non-Boston Dynamics devices
Additional processor to install your own OS and applications / SDK access
Comprehensive Packages
Boston Dynamics offers 3 different packs dedicated to inspection, security, and research
Spot Academia & Education
Designed for research, education, and the development of new applications, the “Spot Academia & Education” pacage is characterized by ready-to-use features, offering vast possibilities in the field of robotics.
Developers can harness its autonomous capabilities, while the Spot Arm enables advanced interactions with the environment.
Spot is fully customizable and serves as an advanced tool for preparing students for the future of robotics.
Spot State & Public Safety
The Spot State & Public Safety pack offers a robust solution for reducing risks in potentially hazardous environments.
Indeed, Spot can investigate suspicious packages, assist in hostage situations by providing crucial remote information, and detect various hazardous materials such as toxic substances and explosives.
Equipped with cameras, X-ray devices, and a robotic arm, Spot enables secure intervention by first responders while maintaining a safe distance.
Spot Inspection
The Spot Enterprise Asset Management Kit automates inspection tasks, providing accurate real-time data to fuel predictive maintenance.
Equipped with multiple payloads, Spot can perform thermal inspections to detect anomalies in equipment, read and analyze analog gauges, and even conduct acoustic inspections to identify leaks in ducts.
This kit enables proactive collection of essential data to optimize industrial asset management.
Unitree Robotics: powerful and affordable robot dogs
Unitree Robotics is a Chinese manufacturer that specialises in developing, producing and sales of high-performance quadruped robots. The brand offers different types of robot dog, more affordable than the Boston Dynamics Spot robot and therefore more accessible for use in research and education:
Go2, the successor to Go1 with additional functions
The Go2 robot dog, with its incredible mobility and balance skills, seamlessly combines cutting-edge technology with agile and elegant design. As the successor to the Go1, it stands out for its exceptional technical capabilities and integrated AI, while maintaining an advantageous price-performance ratio:
Advanced recognition system thanks to 4D LiDAR L1 technology
Just like its predecessor, the Go2 is available in various variants to meet a wide range of needs:
B2: the agile, high-performance robot dog
Designed for research and development, B2 is the most advanced robot dog from Unitree Robotics. It stands out for its speed (up to 21.6 km/h) and autonomy (up to 5 hours).
In addition to being:
As for equipment, the B2 robot dog includes:
Ready to use straight out of the box, it’s possible to add accessories like the Z1 robotic arm to make it even more versatile.
Also discover B2-W, its superior version equipped with interchangeable wheels and feet offering increased adaptability to a variety of terrains and even faster movement speed on flat surfaces.
Z1: the robot arm for robot dogs
Regarding accessories, Unitree Robotics also performs very well, with for example a robot arm compatible with B2 robot. The arm opens the door to even more tasks and can serve various purposes, for example to pick up objects, open and close doors, etc.
Boston Dynamics vs. Unitree Robotics: the differences
| SPOT | B2 | Go2 Edu Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Processors |
As an option: i5 Intel® 8th Gen (Whiskey Lake-U) Core™ |
Intel Core i5 / Intel Core i7 |
8-core High-performance CPU |
|
Max speed |
1,6 m/s (5,7 km/h) |
6 m/s (21,6 km/h) |
5 m/s (18 km/h |
|
Max. payload |
14 kg |
120 kg (stationary) and 40 kg (moving) |
12 kg |
|
Cameras |
5 pairs of depth cameras |
2 depth cameras
+ 2 optical cameras |
Ultra-wide-angle HD camera (Realsense D435i)</ |
|
Maximum slope |
+/- 30° |
+/- 45° |
+/- 40° |
|
Weight |
32 kg |
60 kg |
15 kg |
|
Dimensions |
1100 x 500 x 1910 mm |
1098mm × 450mm × 645mm |
700 x 310 x 400 mm |
|
Max. step height: |
30 cm |
20 - 25 cm |
16 cm |
|
Battery life |
1h-2h |
4-6h |
2-4h |