Dubai’s DEWA to employ Boston Dynamics’ robodog ‘Spot’ for internal operations

Robodog Spot herding sheep. (Rocos)
Matthew Amlôt, Al Arabiya English Monday 13 July 2020

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced Monday that it would begin testing uses for the four-legged Spot robot from Boston Dynamics for internal operations.

DEWA intends to use Spot to for a host of tasks. In a statement, the utility provider mentioned Spot could help detect faults, test connection points of high-voltage cables, detect leaks in water pipes, conduct security and monitoring controls, make sure construction projects are being carried out properly, manage some of its facilities, such as warehouses, and help people of determination.

“Adopting the Spot robot in DEWA’s internal operations is part of our strategy to use the latest AI and robotic technologies,” Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of DEWA said in the statement.

“This contributes to achieving the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which aims to strengthen the UAE's position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and increase its contribution to a knowledge-based national economy that depends on innovation and future technological application,” he added.

Spot is a yellow robot dog that has been developed by US-based robot maker Boston Dynamics. The robodog has been featured in numerous Boston Dynamics videos, and is built to traverse difficult terrain that robots would not normally be able to cover. The robot can be equipped with a variety of sensors such as heat, gas, and light.

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Earlier this year in May, Spot was deployed to New Zealand to begin herding sheep in the countryside.

The development of robots like Spot could help humans do jobs that they otherwise might not be able to do, particularly while the coronavirus pandemic still has many working from home.

Rocos, a robot software developer who worked alongside Boston Dynamics to train Spot to herd sheep, said in May that robots could help humans and businesses in the future.

“The age of autonomous robots is upon us. We’re working with organizations embracing this technology to achieve next-level business performance. Our customers are augmenting their human workforces to automate physical processes that are often dull, dirty, or dangerous,” said Rocos CEO David Inggs.