Boston Dynamics’ Four-Legged Robot Spot Is Now Talking Out

Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot, Spot, which appears to be straight out of a science fiction movie, has added a new skill to its repertoire: the ability to talk. The company has integrated ChatGPT to enable this communication capability in the robot.

Spot, a creation of the US-based robotics company Boston Dynamics, has been under development for years and has already demonstrated an array of abilities including running, jumping, dancing, and even drawing. The robot, which has even been utilized as a worker at Tüpraş, has now acquired an exciting new feature.

Boston Dynamics released a video on YouTube showcasing Spot’s new capability. In the video, it is evident that Spot is now equipped to speak, marking a significant advancement in its functionality and interaction potential.

Spot, who has become a tour guide, can talk through ChatGPT

In the video, Spot showcases its newfound ability to answer questions and even speaks with a British accent. Interestingly, while speaking, it uses the part that normally functions as its arm, opening and closing it like a “mouth.” Boston Dynamics has also added a playful touch to Spot, dressing it up with a hat, eyes, and a mustache to give the robot a more amusing appearance.

Now equipped with the ability to speak, Spot is serving as a tour guide, capable of showing visitors around the company’s facilities and readily answering questions about the premises and other topics. To achieve this, Boston Dynamics utilized OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT chatbot, integrating it with additional open-source models to ensure responsible and accurate responses.

Further enhancing Spot’s capabilities, a speaker and text-to-speech functionalities were added. Company officials noted that Spot can use its cameras to examine images of the facility, enabling it to gather more information and respond to inquiries more effectively.

Spot’s versatility extends beyond just the role of a “British butler” portrayed in the video. The robot can also adopt various other personas, such as an archaeologist, a time traveler, or even a young person from the 1920s, complete with a sarcastic personality. This diversity in roles highlights Spot’s advanced and adaptable communication skills.