Chinese tech giant Xiaomi unveiled CyberDog, a quadrupedal robot. It is an experimental, open-source machine that CyberDog claims has unimaginable potential.CyberDog is an example of tech companies adopting the quadrupedal form factor for robotics. Spot, a machine made by Boston Dynamics in the USA, is the most prominent example of this trend. Spot was put on sale last year at $74,500. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including helping doctors to connect with patients remotely and surveying dangerous mines. Spot has been used by law enforcement as well as the military to test it, but not as a weapon.Xiaomi claims CyberDog is a pet-like dogIt is not clear what Xiaomi intends to do with CyberDog. According to a press release, Xiaomi stressed the open-source nature and pricing of CyberDog. The initial 1,000 units will retail for just 9,999 Yuan (roughly $1,540). However, it is not yet clear if the price will remain constant for future releases.CyberDogs pet-like nature is highlighted in the same press release. It can respond to voice commands and follow its owners like a real dog. CyberDog is clearly not being promoted by Xiaomi as a competitor to Aibo, Sonys robot canine. CyberDog, while Aibo is cute and small, is futuristic and even a little intimidating. The machine looks like a sci-fi TV series protagonist, with its silhouette in doors and pacing up steps. As they do every time, there will be inevitable comparisons to Black Mirrors Metalhead episodes.Grid ViewAccording to Xiaomi, CyberDog can perform backflips and can run at speeds of 3.2m/s, compared to Spots' 3.9m/s. It also weighs 3kg compared to Spots' 5.2kg. CyberDog runs on Nvidia's Jetson Xavier AI platform, and comes equipped with a variety of sensors and cameras. These sensors include touch sensors, a GPS module and an ultra-wide angle fisheye lens. The Intel RealSense D450 camera is used for depth-sensing. These components allow the robot to navigate semiautonomously.CyberDog can monitor its surroundings and create navigational maps. It can also plot its destination and avoid obstacles. CyberDog can follow its owner around and avoid obstacles thanks to face recognition and human posture tracking. The machine can respond to voice commands and can recognize wake words or instructions. It can also be controlled via a smartphone app.CyberDog also features three USB-C ports as well as one HDMI port. Xiaomi claims that this can be used for customizing its hardware. According to the company, you could add lidar sensors, panoramic camera, or search lights to your robot.Although CyberDog by Xiaomi was released, it is not a product. It speaks volumes about the current robotics landscape as well as the accessibility of this technology.Boston Dynamics introduced the quadrupedal design for robots. Companies around the globe are now looking into how such machines can be used effectively. This hardware is now available at a lower price, which has opened up new possibilities. A quadrupedal robot made by Chinese robotics company Unitree was released earlier this year for $2,700. Xiaomi's CyberDog beats that price yet again. Although the capabilities of the machines may not be identical, more people will have access to the technology, which will help determine if it is worth the effort.
