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VIDEO: Google's Robotic Dog 'Spot' Plays With Actual Dog

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Google's robotic dog Spot has a new playmate—an actual dog.

The team behind Spot recently introduced the robot to Alex, an adorable real-life terrier reportedly owned by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, who previously managed Google's robotics division for about a year. As you can see from the YouTube video, posted Sunday by Steve Jurvetson, a partner at venture capitalist firm DFJ, the two canines didn't exactly get along.

Alex basically runs circles around the robot, barking incessantly. After witnessing the spectacle in person, Jurvetson told IEEE Spectrum he was impressed by Spot's "lifelike movement."

"The tradition of the uncanny valley continues...to the un-canine valley!" he quipped.

A second new video of Spot posted by Jurvetson shows the robot wake up from a reclined position, stand up, and take a little romp around a parking lot. Spot is capable of standing up tall on its legs, crouching down, sitting, moving its metal torso side to side, and climbing up and down curbs. It also has a few different gaits, ranging from a slow walk to a faster trot.

First unveiled in February 2015, Spot was developed by Boston Dynamics, the now Google-owned company behind an army of super-strong, animal- and human-like robots with names like BigDog, Cheetah, WildCat, and Atlas. Though Spot is the smallest of the posse, it still weighs in at a hefty 160 pounds.

Unlike Boston Dymanics's other robots, Spot was designed to work indoors as well as outside, the company has said. It's electrically powered and hydraulically actuated, and has a so-called "sensor head" that helps it navigate through rough terrain.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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