Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robots Dazzle on ‘America’s Got Talent

In a truly unprecedented television event, a quintet of Boston Dynamics’ renowned Spot robot dogs took center stage on “America’s Got Talent,” delivering a synchronized dance performance to Queen’s iconic anthem, “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The robotic canines, some even using their manipulator arms to seemingly “lip-sync” to Freddie Mercury’s vocals, captivated both the judges and the audience.

Despite a minor hiccup where one robot experienced a malfunction and briefly collapsed, the remaining Spots seamlessly adapted their choreography, a testament to Boston Dynamics’ advanced programming that allows for on-the-fly adjustments in case of an individual unit’s failure.

This captivating display wasn’t Spot’s first foray into the world of dance; Boston Dynamics previously showcased their robots’ impressive moves in a 2021 video set to a BTS track. The intricate routines are made possible by Choreographer, a proprietary software module developed by Boston Dynamics specifically for crafting dance sequences for Spot. Designed with an intuitive drag-and-drop graphical interface, Choreographer empowers individuals of all technical backgrounds to easily create and customize dance moves, bridging the gap between human artistic vision and robotic precision.

While human choreographers are accustomed to working with the improvisation and nuances of human dancers, adapting their vision for robots presents unique challenges. Eric Whitman, a Boston Dynamics roboticist highlighted the robots’ advantage in their remarkable repeatability – once a movement is perfected, it stays perfect – contrasting it with their inability to improvise, requiring every detail to be meticulously programmed.

The show’s host, Terry Crews, couldn’t help but inquire about the future: “Do you really see this happening, like everyone having one of these in their homes?” A Boston Dynamics representative confidently responded, “We really, really believe that this is the future,” underscoring the company’s vision for the broader integration of these advanced robots into everyday life. The performance earned a unanimous four “Yes” votes from the judges, securing Spot’s spot in the next round and further fueling public curiosity about the evolving capabilities and potential widespread adoption of robotics.