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Boston Dynamics’ Spot (left) and Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60.
Boston Dynamics is suing competitor Ghost Robotics for patent infringement. Boston Dynamics claims Ghost Robotics infringed on seven patents associated to its Spot quadruped robotic. According to the criticism (PDF) filed in Delaware federal court docket, Boston Dynamics stated Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60 and Spirit 40 quadrupeds each comprise infringing capabilities.
“We do not comment on the specifics of pending litigation,” a Boston Dynamics spokesperson informed The Robot Report by way of electronic mail. “Innovation is the lifeblood of Boston Dynamics, and our roboticists have successfully filed approximately 500 patents and patent applications worldwide. We welcome competition in the emerging mobile robotics market, but we expect all companies to respect intellectual property rights, and we will take action when those rights are violated.”
The Robot Report reached out to Ghost Robotics however had not heard again at press time. This article can be up to date if new info is realized. News of the lawsuit was first reported by Law 360.
Boston Dynamics is searching for infringement damages and pre- and post-judgment curiosity. It claims Ghost Robotics is infringing on the next U.S. patents:
- 9,308,648 — “Systems and Methods for Robotic Self-Right”
- 9,662,791 — “Systems and Methods for Robotic Self-Right”
- 11,123,869 — “Robotically Negotiating Stairs”
- 9,387,588 — “Handling Gait Disturbances with Asynchronous Timing”
- 11,073,842 — “Perception and Fitting for a Stair Tracker”
- 10,253,855 — “Screw Actuator for a Legged Robot”
- 11,131,368 — “Screw Actuator for a Legged Robot”
In the criticism, Boston Dynamics included pictures of Ghost Robotics quadrupeds being examined by the U.S. Air Force in 2020 and 2021 at Nellis base in Nevada. The criticism goes into nice element about how Ghost Robotics is allegedly infringing on every of the aforementioned patents.
“Defendant has deliberately continued to infringe in a wanton, malicious, and egregious manner, with reckless disregard for Boston Dynamics’ patent rights,” Boston Dynamics stated within the criticism.
Boston Dynamics was based by Marc Raibert in 1992 as a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It’s been engaged on quadruped robots for about 20 years, having examined its BigDog robotic in 2004. BigDog was discontinued round 2015, partly attributable to its gas-powered engine being too loud. Essentially, Spot developed from BigDog and the years of analysis Boston Dynamics put into quadrupeds. Boston Dynamics commercially launched Spot in 2020 to serve numerous industries.
According to the submitting, Boston Dynamics stated Ghost Robotics launched its Vision 60 product in 2019, later introducing the Spirit 40 mannequin in February 2020. On July 7, 2020, in line with the submitting, Boston Dynamics wrote to Ghost Robotics requesting it evaluation Boston Dynamics’ revealed patent purposes and issued patents to make sure that Ghost Robotics didn’t infringe Boston Dynamics’ patent rights, notably referencing the Ghost Robotics Vision 60 product. Ghost Robotics was based in 2015.
Boston Dynamics, the submitting stated, then despatched two stop and desist letters asking Ghost Robotics to cease advertising its quadrupeds. According to the submitting, the letters referenced a number of patents Boston Dynamics claimed Ghost Robotics was infringing on.
According to the criticism, “Boston Dynamics’ early success with the Spot robot did not go unnoticed by competitors in the robotics industry, including Ghost Robotics.” Other quadruped makers embrace ANYbotics (Switzerland) and Unitree Robotics (China).
In May 2022, Boston Dynamics launched upgrades for Spot that included sooner charging occasions, extra payloads and assist for 5G connectivity. Boston Dynamics gained an RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award from The Robot Report‘s sister publication Robotics Business Review. Boston Dynamics gained the award for the introduction of Spot Enterprise, a beforehand upgraded model of the quadruped that supplied expanded capabilities and allowed for brand new lessons of purposes for the robotic.
Boston Dynamics additionally lately commercialized Stretch, a cell robotic for case dealing with and truck unloading. With a robust vacuum gripper and superior imaginative and prescient system, Stretch can deal with quite a lot of package deal sorts as much as 50 kilos, requires no SKU quantity pre-programming or field dimension info and may autonomously recuperate any packages that shift or fall throughout the unloading course of. Boston Dynamics lately stated Stretch is offered out for 2022 installations. Boston Dynamics has quite a lot of early prospects, together with DHL Supply Chain, GAP, H&M, and Performance Team – A Maersk Company.
Hyundai Motor Group, which acquired Boston Dynamics in June 2021 for $880 million, lately launched the Boston Dynamics AI Institute. Hyundai and Boston Dynamics made an preliminary funding of greater than $400 million to make elementary advances in synthetic intelligence, robotics and clever machines. The institute can be led by Raibert. The institute will work on 4 technical areas: cognitive AI, athletic AI, natural {hardware} design and ethics and coverage.
Hyundai turned the third proprietor of Boston Dynamics in seven years. Boston Dynamics was acquired by Google in 2013 and offered to Softbank Group in 2017. It has primarily operated as an R&D group because it was based, however a brand new emphasis on commercialization turned evident after it was acquired by Softbank.