![\"\"](\"https:\/\/icrowdnewswire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3998-ICN.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Ford](\"https:\/\/cdn.slashgear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/MB_9835-1280x720.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\nFord has released the hounds into its factories, setting two Boston Dynamics Spot robots loose to survey its Van Dyke Transmission Plant. Part of the robot-maker’s newly-expanded lease program, Ford’s goal with the two quadrupeds is to create a 3D digital scan of the facility that’s both faster and cheaper than the old method.<\/p>\n
Clearly, Ford is no stranger to robotics, and neither are the employees at the company’s production lines. However Spot and Fluffy – the two Boston Dynamics robots on-site – are taking full advantage of their freedom to roam around the factory floor, unlike the usually-fixed arms that help build cars.<\/p>\n
Digital engineering models of Ford facilities are used as the automaker retools its plants for different purposes. It’s a necessary evil, explains Mark Goderis, Ford’s digital engineering manager, because “over the years, changes are made that rarely get documented.” Ford usually then sends a human team out with tripods and laser scanners to gather data for the new 3D model.<\/p>\n
That typically took around two weeks per plant, and cost almost $300,000. Spot and Fluffy, however, have built-in laser scanners among their array of sensors – including five cameras – and can be preprogrammed with a route and a task list to complete. Operator Paula Weibelhaus loads up their jobs from a tablet, and then can remotely check in on what the robots are seeing through their cameras.<\/p>\n
Each Spot robot has around two hours of battery, but Ford has a way to conserve that too. An Autonomous Mobile Robot – known as Scouter – acts as a transport shuttle for the dog, moving it around from job-site to job-site. As it goes, Scouter has its own 3D sensors that can also be used to gather data.<\/p>\n
Tighter locations, where space would be constrained for human workers, are easier for the robots to navigate through. Each dog can walk, amble, or switch to a speed specially intended for dealing with stairs; they can also crouch down or stretch up, to investigate out of the way places. A safe distance boundary has been programmed to keep them – and others – out of potential harm’s way.<\/p>\n
The upshot is a faster survey, done in about half the time it used to, and for what Ford says is a fraction of the old cost. Assuming things go to plan, the automaker hopes to have remote programming support so that someone across the country could load Spot up with a plant mission and set them loose from afar.<\/p>\n
Boston Dynamics launched its early-adopter program in September 2019, with around 150 robots deployed at places as varied as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab through to Cirque du Soleil. That’s now been expanded<\/a>, with Spot being offered both for sale at $75k more broadly, or under a lease program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tags:<\/b> Chris Davies <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"See Campaign: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.slashgear.com\/boston-dynamics-spot-robot-dog-is-now-a-75k-business-expense-16625060\/<\/a>
Contact Information:<\/b>
Chris Davies <\/p>\n
<\/a>, Wire<\/a>, United States<\/a>, English<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nContact Information:<\/h3>\n
Ford has released the hounds into its factories, setting two Boston Dynamics Spot robots loose to survey its Van Dyke Transmission Plant. Part of the robot-maker’s newly-expanded lease program, Ford’s goal with the two quadrupeds is to create a 3D digital scan of the facility that’s both faster and cheaper than the old method. … Continue reading Ford adopted two Boston Dynamics robot dogs for its factory<\/span><\/a> Continue Reading