Page 24 - aruba-today-20180512

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Saturday 12 May 2018

Walking robot maker prepares to unleash its dog-like machine

dled by humans.
Founded in 1992, Boston
Dynamics rarely reveals
its plans except by post-
ing YouTube videos that
have impressed and terri-
fied people. Most of Bos-
ton Dynamics' robotics re-
search had been applied
in the military until Google
bought the Waltham, Mas-
sachusetts, company in
2013. Japanese tech giant
SoftBank bought Boston
Dynamics from Google last
year.
Although Boston Dynamics
never released a commer-
cial robot under Google,
Raibert credited his com-
pany's former owner for
helping it to start thinking
of ways to bring its technol-
ogy to a broader market.
Toward that end, he also
showed the conference
a video of Atlas, a two-
legged robot that has
In this July 20, 2017 file photo, Boston Dynamics Chief Executive Marc Raibert speaks about his four-legged robot SpotMini during a learned how to sort and
SoftBank World presentation at a hotel in Tokyo. pick up packages, jump
up and off blocks, jog and
Associated Press SpotMini robot next year, SpotMini gets around with price has been set for the perform back flips. He said
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — A likely to businesses for use the help of cameras on its robot yet, though Raibert Boston Dynamics still hasn't
robotics company known as a camera-equipped se- front, sides and one mount- said making the latest pro- figured out how to make
for its widely shared videos curity guard. ed on its rear — a position totype costs about one- money from Atlas yet.
of nimble, legged robots But he thinks other appli- that Raibert calls the "butt- tenth the price of earlier "This machine is really trying
opening doors or walking cations for the four-legged cam." versions. to push the boundary of
through rough terrain is contraption will be likely Boston Dynamics already Raibert unveiled the Spot- the future," Raibert said.
preparing to sell some after developed by other com- has made 10 SpotMinis Mini plans at the University He also mentioned the pos-
more than a quarter cen- panies, because the robot with plans to manufacture of California, Berkeley, dur- sibility of building robots
tury of research. has a flat platform to allow about 100 more for addi- ing a TechCrunch confer- to help with construction
Boston Dynamics CEO other equipment with its tional testing this year be- ence focused on the rise projects, though he didn't
Marc Raibert said Friday own computer program- fore going into mass pro- of robotics and its potential provide any further details
that his company plans to ming to be easily mounted duction by the middle of to perform a wide range about that ambition on
begin selling the dog-like on top of it. next year, Raibert said. No of tasks and jobs now han- Friday.q

Cook Group and RecycleForce Partner for Electronic Disposal Day

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.- (BUSI- breaking down the barriers dents turnout and drop off of Cook Group and Cook employ more than 12,000
NESS WIRE) - On Saturday, to employment that hold over 250,000 pounds of E- Medical. “We are thrilled people around the world.
April 28, Cook Group part- people back and creating Waste. with the response from the We are committed to im-
nered with RecycleForce to a cleaner environment. RecycleForce will disassem- community and we ap- proving lives by giving back
host a community electron- “Saturday was the biggest ble the electronics at their preciate everyone who to our communities, sup-
ic disposal day that gave one-day recycling event facility in Indianapolis and waited in line to recycle. To porting our employees and
Bloomington area residents for RecycleForce,” said use the proceeds of the say we were overwhelmed their families, and serving
and small businesses an RecycleForce President, recycled products to fund by the turn out would be an our customers and their pa-
opportunity to recycle their Gregg Keesling. “We thank the organization’s compre- understatement.” tients. Learn more at www.
unused electronic appli- Cook for giving citizens a hensive reentry programs About Cook Group CookGroup.com.
ances, devices and televi- chance to dispose of their helping the formerly incar- Cook Group is a family- About RecycleForce
sions. RecycleForce is an unwanted and outdated cerated individuals reenter owned company with RecycleForce is a 501(c)3
organization that helps electronics, and for giving the workforce. headquarters in Blooming- social enterprise based in
formerly incarcerated in- RecycleForce an oppor- “We partnered with Recy- ton, Indiana. Our diverse Indianapolis, Indiana that
dividuals rebuild their lives tunity to collect resources cleForce to bring this event business portfolio includes delivers comprehensive
through workforce train- that will help us continue to our community and also companies working in life and innovative recycling
ing, development, and the job training and edu- bring awareness to the life- sciences, business services, services in support of work-
job placement in their re- cational services we pro- changing workforce train- resorts, property manage- force training, develop-
cycling facility. Cook and vide people as they reenter ing that the organization ment, and medical devic- ment and job placement
RecycleForce partnered society.” provides to individuals reen- es. for formerly incarcerated
for the event because the The event, sponsored by tering the workforce,” said Founded in 1963, Cook men and women transition-
organizations believe in Cook, saw hundreds of resi- Pete Yonkman, president Group companies today ing back to society.q