Boston Dynamics is one of the leading robot technology companies in the world. They are doing some incredible things with robot tech and will no doubt play a hand in the inevitable robot uprising. In the meantime, they are using their powers for some lighthearted fun as they program seven of their robotic dogs to dance in unison, which is something that has never been done before!
At first, it’s not quite clear what you’re looking at. The yellow robots, sitting in silence, are lined up so closely that they almost resemble deck chairs stacked on top of one another. Then, in time with the music, their arms shoot out into a fluid series of patterns, giving the appearance of a single, many-armed robot peacocking for the camera. Finally, the seven Spots separate, synchronizing their steps and appearing to play off of one another’s dance moves.
The steps are so perfectly timed, and the motions so smooth and harmonious, that you might think the robots are actually listening and responding to the music. But they’re not; they’re listening to their synchronized inner clocks. For all their sophisticated sensors, the robots don’t even know that music is playing. And their ability to move through space without stepping on one another’s toes is the result of painstaking positioning and programming, rather than Spot’s obstacle avoidance feature.
The end result is seamless, sleek, and even a bit startling. But hiding behind the curtain lie hours of choreography and engineering effort – all coming together for a 77-second performance.
Enjoy the video below!