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Boston Dynamics' Latest Robot Looks Ready To Clean Your Kitchen

By @GeorgeJFox

Robotics company Boston Dynamics just released a YouTube video showcasing the capabilities of their latest creation SpotMini. A smaller cousin of Big Dog -- this quadruped bot has a functional head to grab things. In the video SpotMini takes a glass out of the sink, loads it into the dishwasher and puts a soda can in a recycling bin.

According to Boston Dynamics, SpotMini can perform some tasks all on its own, but needs human assistance for more complicated jobs.

Showing how the bots deal with unexpected challenges is a trademark of Boston Dynamics videos. Remember when Atlas got the box hit out of its hands? This time a banana peel is the comic relief as SpotMini slips in a way that simultaneously makes you cringe and laugh. Poor bot, but it takes a licking and keeps on ticking -- righting itself with it's head and climbing the stairs like a champ.

SpotMini is a svelte 55 lbs and unlike many of its predecessors its electric powered and uses no hydraulics making it one of the quietest robots Boston Dynamics has created.

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