世界上最先进的机器狗正在出售

DAVID NIELD28 SEP 2019We've watched the Spot robot quadruped grow up and evolve, from its earliest days as a larger, more cumbersome beast to a carefully refined machine capable of pulling trucks. Now maker Boston Dynamics is putting the robo-dog on sale.

我们见证了Spot四足机器人的成长和演变，从最初的一个更大、更笨重的动物，到一个能够拉卡车的精心改良的机器。现在制造商波士顿动力公司正在出售这款机器狗。

The idea is not to provide a friendly pet that curls up in front of the fire each evening, though. Spot is designed for industrial use, whether that's carrying goods through a warehouse or inspecting a remote site that human operators would find it difficult to get to.

不过，我们的想法并不是要提供一只每天晚上蜷缩在火炉前的友好宠物。Spot是为工业用途而设计的，无论是通过仓库运送货物，还是检查人类操作人员难以到达的偏远地点。

With that in mind, you can't just put down your cash and walk away with a Spot. Instead, Boston Dynamics will lease the Spot bot to companies with genuine uses for it: prices vary and are on request, but think in the tens of thousands of US dollars.

考虑到这一点，你不能只是放下现金，然后拿着一个停车位离开。相反，波士顿动力公司(Boston Dynamics)将把现货机器人租给真正使用它的公司:价格各不相同，可以根据客户要求租赁，但要以数万美元的价格考虑。

(Boston Dynamics)

"A nimble robot that climbs stairs and traverses rough terrain with unprecedented ease, yet is small enough to use indoors," is the description on the Boston Dynamics sales page.

波士顿动力公司(Boston Dynamics)销售页面上的描述是:“一款灵活的机器人，可以爬楼梯，穿越崎岖的地形，而且前所未有的轻松，而且体积小到可以在室内使用。

"Built to be a rugged and customisable platform, Spot autonomously accomplishes your industrial sensing and remote operation needs."

“Spot是一个坚固耐用的、可定制的平台，可以自主完成您的工业传感和远程操作需求。”

For your money you get a robot that can operate for 90 minutes between charges, with a maximum speed of 1.6 metres-per-second (about 3.5 miles-per-hour). It can work in temperatures of between -20°C (-4°F) and 45°C (113°F), and has 360-degree camera vision that enables it to avoid obstacles.

你的钱，可以买到一个续航能力90分钟的机器人，最高速度为每秒1.6米(约每小时3.5英里)，可以在-20°C(-4°F)到45°C(113°F)的温度下工作，并且具有360度的摄像头视野，能够很好的避开障碍物。

Spot can operate in the rain, too, and is able to carry payloads of up to 14 kilograms (that's nearly 31 pounds). Buyers can add bespoke sensors and hardware modules to Spot to adapt it for a variety of tasks.

Spot也可以在雨中工作，并且能够携带高达14公斤(将近31磅)的有效载荷。买家可以添加定制的传感器和硬件模块，以适应各种任务。

(Boston Dynamics)

"Early customers are already testing Spot to monitor construction sites, provide remote inspection at gas, oil and power installations, and in public safety," says Boston Dynamics.

波士顿动力公司表示:“早期客户已经在现场进行测试，以监控建筑工地，为天然气、石油和电力设施以及公共安全提供远程检查。”

As we know from previous demonstrations, the robot is able to adapt to a variety of tasks and is even capable of opening doors. It's capable of tackling rough and uneven terrain, using a bank of sensors and software calculations to stay steady on its feet.

从之前的演示中我们知道，机器人能够适应各种任务，甚至能够开门。它能够处理粗糙和不平的地形，使用一组传感器和软件计算来保持双脚稳定。

Spot has its weaknesses – it's not great at working around people at the moment, for example – but the robot has come a very long way in a short space of time. That the dog droid is now available for hire shows that Boston Dynamics is confident of its usefulness.

Spot也有它的弱点——例如，它目前不擅长与人打交道——但它在很短的时间内已经取得了很大的进展。这款狗机器人现在可以出租，表明波士顿动力公司对它的实用性充满信心。