Boston Dynamics first introduced "Spot" in 2019. Since then, it has made numerous enhancements before making it available for purchase. For example, adding artificial intelligence software has expanded its capabilities.
The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) recently announced that it is placing two of the Spot robots in service. Although Spot can be autonomous, the two units purchased by the FDNY will be controlled by firefighters remotely.
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According to Firehouse.com, the FDNY plans to use the robots while conducting operations in hazardous environments.
According to The New York Times, the robots can, for example, be deployed after a building collapse to assess structural integrity or to determine if the atmosphere around the collapse is hazardous. A fire department representative stated that the department plans to use the robots only to collect data on hazardous materials situations.
