Engineering Maze

Google vs Robot

Google has recently confirmed reports that it has bought Boston Dynamics. Boston Dynamics is a robot engineering company that has worked closely with the Pentagon. It has been working on developing war ready robots and it has also developed a humanoid robot. One of the most interesting things about this move is that Boston Dynamics is the eighth robotics form that google has acquired during the last six months. There is much speculation as to what their future plans may be in the robotics industry. Google has indicated that it does not intend to become a military contractor, though it will honor existing contracts.

Boston Dynamics has been responsible for creating some very cool stuff, such as a sophisticated humanoid robot. This robot is called ATLAS : DARPA, it is a walking robot that is lifelike and very fascinating. The creation of this robot is seen as being a giant step forward in the development of modern robotics. Boston
Dynamics also created a running animal like robot named Wildcat which can run at a speed of 16 miles per hour. Prior to developing the Atlas, the company developed a robot called the ‘Cheetah’ which set legged robot land speed records. One thing that is clear is that google has big plans in the robotics industry, interesting stuff indeed!


Google's interest in robotics isn't new. Lead by Andy Rubin, who spearheaded the development of Android, the company has acquired eight robotics companies in the past six months. Little is known about the why's of Google's robotics efforts, as the company has not commented its acquisitions, and has said it does not plan to release financial information on any of the other robot companies it bought recently.

Certainly, the company's $40 billion advertising business units won't benefit from these acquisitions. Instead, it seems Google has yet another moonshot project in mind. According to New York Times, the company may be searching to increase its competitive advantages in the online retail arena, by automating every step in the supply chain "that stretches from a factory floor to the companies that ship and deliver goods to a consumer's doorstep."


In this sense, the company could be investing in robotics to achieve package delivery automation. It has already started experimenting with package delivery in urban areas with its Google Shopping service, which is already available in San Francisco.



Moreover,because Boston Dynamics also develops tools for human simulation, Google could be interested in improving "the way people interface with computers, wearables, and information," according to Forbes contributor Robert Hof. The company has already shown its strong interest in this segment by promoting its self-driving cars, and its Google Glass product.