Following on from reports earlier this year, South Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai has officially bought Boston Dynamics for the tidy sum of $1.1 billion USD.
The news marks Boston Dynamics’ third owner, given that the firm was first owned by Google and later by Softbank – the latter of which retains a 20% stake in the company.
Hyundai has slightly different aspirations for the firm, however, citing its vision to create a ‘robots value chain’ that will span construction to automation.
It remains to be seen whether the acquisition will curtail some of Boston Dynamics’ other efforts; the firm is perhaps most recognisable for its production of ‘Spot’ – analogous to a robotic dog – which has been used in applications such as search and rescue as well as in the military.
In a newly released video, Hyundai depicts Spot as a guide dog and helper – a role which the unit actually served during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other illustrations include a mechanised mobility suit, which may indicate some of Hyundai’s aspirations beyond motoring.
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