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I don't think this was a major problem -- after all, BD knew in advance that Google isn't working for the military. However, the article claims Google wanted a
by jug 10y ago
I don't think this was a major problem -- after all, BD knew in advance that Google isn't working for the military. However, the article claims Google wanted a quiet wheeled robot for household tasks, which would ruin years of research into bipedal (or more) robots -- the foundation upon where BD was standing.
- burfog 10y agoThe top management got to make the choice. Clearly, the CEO didn't like working for the military, or at least he made that excuse during the buy-out. Some of the technical staff may have agreed. Mostly though, defense contractors don't end up hiring the kind of people who hate defense contracting. Prior to the buy-out, if you wanted to make cute little household robots, would you have applied for a job at Boston Dynamics? (FYI, NO!!!)
- gregshap 10y agoEspecially with irobot down the street and hiring all the time
- jldugger 10y agoI don't know that it would ruin anything to also build a Roomba competitor, or booze wagon or whatever Google had in mind. If BD has any kind of intention of selling to anyone other than the military or researchers like themselves, they'll need a brand, manufacturing and distribution. Might as well bootstrap that now with some less ground breaking tech.