Xiaomi's CyberDog is another slightly sinister quadrupedal robot

[midian182]

What just happened? While most welcome the speedy advances being made in the world of AI and robotics, some fear a Terminator-style society in which machines enslave humanity. Compounding the latter group's concerns is Xiaomi, which has just announced a quadrupedal robot called CyberDog.

CyebrDog looks like a worrying cross between the murderous dog robots from the War of the Worlds TV show and the murderous dog robots from Black Mirror episode Metalhead. While other companies have created similar machines, the most notable being Boston Dynamics Spot, CyberDog seems more… threatening, somehow, despite being a little slower (3.2 m/s) and lighter (3kg).

BRB, just hunting humans lol

Powering CyberDog is Nvidia's "world's smallest AI Supercomputer," Jetson Xavier NX. The robot is covered in 11 sensors and cameras, including touch and ultrasonic sensors, a GPS module, an ultra-wide-angle fisheye lens, and Intel's RealSense D450 camera for depth-sensing, all helping it navigate obstacles as it follows its owner.

In what doesn't sound like a concerning feature at all, CyberDog also has human posture and face recognition abilities that allow it to identify and follow individuals from within a group. "CyberDog can analyze its surroundings in real-time, create navigational maps, plot its destination, and avoid obstacles," said Xiaomi. It can be controlled using voice commands or a smartphone app.

Dogs are often confused by their reflections

Xiaomi said it doesn't know what applications the CyberDog will have. The company said it intends to release 1,000 units to "Xiaomi fans, engineers and robotics enthusiasts to jointly explore the immense possibility of CyberDog."

The robot comes with three USB-C ports and one HDMI port that can be used to customize its hardware. Xiaomi suggests that lidar sensors, panoramic cameras, and searchlights could be added, making it an even more efficient hunter, perhaps.

The alien robot dog from the War of the Worlds TV show. An inspiration for CyberDog?

Engadget reports that Xiaomi will host an open-source community for tinkering with CyberDog, which may be followed by the construction of a robotics laboratory to lay a pathway for "future innovations."

CyberDog costs 9,999 Yuan, or roughly $1,540, a lot cheaper than Spot's $74,500 price tag.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/90747-xiaomi-cyberdog-another-slightly-terrifying-quadrupedal-robot.html

 

[Beerfloat]

I must admit I am tempted by the concept of owning my own murderous dog hunter robot. I just imagine taking this for a walk with my dogs. No neighborhood dog would contest this pack, I reckon. It'd be glorious.

 

[Puiu]

Where is Michael Reeves when you need him?

 

[Beerfloat]

Where is Michael Reeves when you need him?

Michael Biehn might be more useful in this situation.

 

[VitalyT]

Xiaomi said it doesn't know what applications the CyberDog will have

Leg humping?

 

[Avro Arrow]

"While other companies have created similar machines, the most notable being Boston Dynamics Spot, CyberDog seems more… threatening, somehow, despite being a little slower (3.2 m/s) and lighter (3kg)."
So basically, it's more threatening because it's Chinese and Spot is American? If CyberDog is lighter and slower, I'd consider Spot to be more threatening because it is. They both remind me of Ravage from Transformers:

"CyberDog costs 9,999 Yuan, or roughly $1,540, a lot cheaper than Spot's $74,500 price tag."
Well that's because Spot's being produced by a greedy-a$$ed corporation who knows that the US government won't spend a red cent on universal healthcare but will throw endless amounts of taxpayer money at stupid things like robotic dogs. CyberDog is being produced by a corporation that isn't trying to only sell to the fabulously wealthy.

I consider Boston Dymanics' Spot as a concept far more threatening than CyberDog. CyberDog is cheap enough that it could be owned and operated by the average person. Spot would only be an instrument of government or the financial elite.

 

[Uncle Al]

All I can say is if the little bastard pee's on my shrubs he'll get the same three rounds of 000 buckshot the last one got! My neighbor still hasn't forgiven me but strangely, he won't step into the yard to tell me as much ..... go figure!

 

[Rock Dirty]

Add a grenade launcher and I'll take two...

 

[Lew Zealand]

Cyberdog, eh? Did they pay Apple for rights to use the name?

 

[Avro Arrow]

All I can say is if the little bastard pee's on my shrubs he'll get the same three rounds of 000 buckshot the last one got! My neighbor still hasn't forgiven me but strangely, he won't step into the yard to tell me as much ..... go figure!

Suuure you did! You don't seem to be Grand Torino-levels of crazy:

 

[Tams80]

"While other companies have created similar machines, the most notable being Boston Dynamics Spot, CyberDog seems more… threatening, somehow, despite being a little slower (3.2 m/s) and lighter (3kg)."
So basically, it's more threatening because it's Chinese and Spot is American? If CyberDog is lighter and slower, I'd consider Spot to be more threatening because it is. They both remind me of Ravage from Transformers:

"CyberDog costs 9,999 Yuan, or roughly $1,540, a lot cheaper than Spot's $74,500 price tag."
Well that's because Spot's being produced by a greedy-a$$ed corporation who knows that the US government won't spend a red cent on universal healthcare but will throw endless amounts of taxpayer money at stupid things like robotic dogs. CyberDog is being produced by a corporation that isn't trying to only sell to the fabulously wealthy.

I consider Boston Dymanics' Spot as a concept far more threatening than CyberDog. CyberDog is cheap enough that it could be owned and operated by the average person. Spot would only be an instrument of government or the financial elite.

What a load of bollocks.

Spot is expensive (overpriced even) because Boston Dynamics but an incredible amount of time and money into their technology. And it works incredibly well and reliably.

Their products are also enterprise priced because they are selling to... businesses. Businesses pay more for reliability and support. They don't want to be ****ed around.

Oh, and last I heard, the US military decided that Boston Dynamics stuff wasn't for them.

 

[havok585]

What a load of bollocks.

Spot is expensive (overpriced even) because Boston Dynamics but an incredible amount of time and money into their technology. And it works incredibly well and reliably.

Their products are also enterprise priced because they are selling to... businesses. Businesses pay more for reliability and support. They don't want to be ****ed around.

Oh, and last I heard, the US military decided that Boston Dynamics stuff wasn't for them.

Yeah, no. The US military did not decide anything, the civilians decided for them.

 

[Markoni35]

"...some fear a Terminator-style society in which machines enslave humanity..."

Sorry Xiaomi. Too late. Pharmaceutical mafia already enslaved humanity.

 

[OortCloud]

Its such a copy of Boston Dynamics! Surely they can sue for this - it looks identical!

 

[Avro Arrow]

Its such a copy of Boston Dynamics! Surely they can sue for this - it looks identical!

What are you talking about? You think that Boston Dymanics INVENTED the robotic dog? My god but you Americans are arrogant!

The first robotic dog was designed in Japan, like every other f'king robot ever made! Perhaps the Japanese should sue all of the American companies that produce robotics because all the Americans do is rip-off the Japanese and then try to claim that the Chinese are copying them!

Oh wait, you can't copyright or patent something that is modeled after what nature has already done. That's why the industries haven't been USA-style litigation-happy.

Believe it or not America, not everything is about you.

 

[OortCloud]

What are you talking about? You think that Boston Dymanics INVENTED the robotic dog? My god but you Americans are arrogant!

Firstly, I'm not American - not even from that continent - so stop making random judgements on people you don't know.

Secondly, I am referring to it being an almost exact copy of the very specific design, leg shape, movement mechanics etc etc of the Boston Dynamics Spot. Obviously if they had produced their own design I would have no issue.

No doubt you will come back with some more nonsense to justify your last rant, so go ahead I'm done here.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Firstly, I'm not American - not even from that continent - so stop making random judgements on people you don't know.

Secondly, I am referring to it being an almost exact copy of the very specific design, leg shape, movement mechanics etc etc of the Boston Dynamics Spot. Obviously if they had produced their own design I would have no issue.

No doubt you will come back with some more nonsense to justify your last rant, so go ahead I'm done here.

I must first apologise for my initial reaction. The overwhelming majority of people who say things like what you did are clueless and/or overly-nationalistic Americans. It was wrong for me to assume that and I'm sorry.

As for the dog, sure it looks the same and moves the same. They're mimicking a real dog. I'm also fairly certain that there was another robotic dog made by a Japanese robotics firm over a decade ago because I remember my first reaction to "Spot" was "Oh, so the Americans have one now? That took awhile.". That early Japanese prototyoe also had this overall design so the question is, who's copying whom? In the end, it doesn't matter. The fact that Boston Dynamics isn't making a stink about it however does speak volumes because they surely would sue if they were being ripped-off.

So no, I'll give no stupid excuses, no arguing in bad faith, none of that because it's not my way. I apologise again for my previous post because I really didn't make myself look very good and I do always strive to be better. When I make a mistake (and I do make MANY), I take my lumps for it like a man, I don't go and hide somewhere.

 

[sagbobbit]

Fahrenheit 451 anyone?

 

[OortCloud]

I must first apologise for my initial reaction. The overwhelming majority of people who say things like what you did are clueless and/or overly-nationalistic Americans. It was wrong for me to assume that and I'm sorry.

No problem - thanks for the apology

 

[Avro Arrow]

No problem - thanks for the apology

You're welcome, it was deserved.

 

[Tams80]

What are you talking about? You think that Boston Dymanics INVENTED the robotic dog? My god but you Americans are arrogant!

The first robotic dog was designed in Japan, like every other f'king robot ever made! Perhaps the Japanese should sue all of the American companies that produce robotics because all the Americans do is rip-off the Japanese and then try to claim that the Chinese are copying them!

Oh wait, you can't copyright or patent something that is modeled after what nature has already done. That's why the industries haven't been USA-style litigation-happy.

Believe it or not America, not everything is about you.

What a strawman argument.

Just get out of here.