Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics is an American robotics company that develops mobile robots for industrial inspection, logistics, research, and material handling. It was founded in 1992 by Marc Raibert, drawing on work at the Leg Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.^[1][2][3] The company is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Its current robot portfolio consists of the Spot quadruped, the Stretch warehouse robot, and the electric Atlas humanoid robot, supported by the Orbit fleet and site-management software.^{[1][17][19][22][25]}

Boston Dynamics began as a research and engineering business. Its early work emphasized dynamic balance, legged locomotion, simulation, and robots able to move through terrain that is difficult for wheels or tracks. Research systems such as BigDog and the original hydraulic Atlas were funded in part through United States government programs, including work for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).^[4][6] The company later shifted toward commercial products: Spot went on general sale in 2020, Stretch became available for purchase in 2022, and Boston Dynamics introduced a product version of electric Atlas in January 2026.^[16][19][23]

Scroll sideways for more →

History

Leg Laboratory roots and founding

Raibert's research group began studying dynamically stable legged locomotion at Carnegie Mellon in the early 1980s. A 1983 technical report described a one-legged machine that controlled hopping height, forward velocity, and body attitude as separate but coordinated tasks. The report treated balance as an active control problem rather than relying on a machine to remain statically stable at every moment.^[3] Raibert moved the Leg Laboratory to MIT in 1986. Later work produced one-legged, two-legged, and four-legged machines that hopped, trotted, bounded, climbed simple stairs, and responded to disturbances while moving.^[4]

Boston Dynamics was established in 1992 as an MIT spin-off. Its later corporate history describes a continuous goal of building machines that can balance and move through human-built and natural environments rather than remaining fixed behind safety barriers or limited to flat floors.^[1][2]

BigDog and field robotics

BigDog, begun in 2004 according to the company's history, was the first Boston Dynamics quadruped designed to leave the laboratory for rough outdoor terrain.^[1][5] A peer-reviewed 2008 paper describes a self-contained, hydraulically actuated robot powered by a 15-horsepower two-stroke engine. BigDog weighed about 109 kilograms and used roughly 50 sensors, including inertial and joint sensors, while a human operator provided high-level speed and steering commands.^[4]

The same paper reported a normal trotting speed of about 1.6 metres per second, a brief laboratory bounding speed above 3.1 metres per second, a 10-kilometre continuous hike lasting 2.5 hours, and field tests in mud, snow, rubble, loose scree, and on slopes. It recorded a 154-kilogram flat-terrain test load but described 50 kilograms as a more typical load.^[4] These figures belong to the research platform and should not be treated as specifications for Spot or any current Boston Dynamics product.

BigDog also illustrates an important feature of Boston Dynamics' engineering approach. Its onboard computer regulated joint positions and forces, coordinated the gait, and estimated body motion, while the operator did not command each footstep. The system combined control, proprioceptive sensing, stereo vision, and LiDAR experiments. Its rough-terrain work provided a technical bridge between the Leg Laboratory machines and later autonomous quadrupeds.^[4]

Atlas and the DARPA Robotics Challenge

DARPA publicly unveiled the original Atlas in July 2013 for the DARPA Robotics Challenge, a program intended to advance robots that could assist in disaster-response environments. The first version was a 1.88-metre, 150-kilogram hydraulic humanoid with 28 actuated joints, an onboard control computer, and a sensor head containing stereo cameras and lidar. Seven teams received Atlas platforms after a simulation-based qualifying round and developed the software needed to control them.^[6]

The 2013 machine was primarily a research platform rather than an autonomous commercial worker. DARPA described it as a physical platform whose behavior depended on software written by competing teams and on commands from a human operator. Boston Dynamics later improved its onboard power, wireless communication, limbs, and durability for the 2015 finals.^[36]

Boston Dynamics continued hydraulic Atlas research after the challenge, demonstrating whole-body control, dynamic locomotion, and manipulation in laboratory settings. In April 2024 it retired the hydraulic generation and introduced a fully electric design intended for eventual commercial use.^[22] The electric Atlas is a different machine from the 2013 DARPA platform, despite sharing the name.

Corporate ownership

Google confirmed that it had acquired Boston Dynamics in December 2013. The financial terms were not disclosed.^[7] In June 2017, a SoftBank Group subsidiary signed an agreement to acquire Boston Dynamics from Alphabet. The announcement was an agreement subject to closing conditions, not the date on which ownership changed.^[8] A later SoftBank filing states that the acquisition closed in February 2018.^[9]

In December 2020, SoftBank agreed to sell control of Boston Dynamics to Hyundai Motor Group and Hyundai executive chair Euisun Chung. The transaction valued Boston Dynamics at $1.1 billion.^[9] It closed on June 21, 2021, after regulatory approvals. Hyundai Motor Group and Chung collectively held 80 percent after closing, while a SoftBank affiliate retained 20 percent.^[10]

That 80/20 split did not remain static. By July 2026, Yonhap News Agency reported that the Hyundai-side holding had increased to 90.35 percent and SoftBank's remaining stake had fallen to 9.65 percent. SoftBank had exercised a put option, and Hyundai Motor Group said the contemplated purchase of the remainder would support its robotics strategy.^[12] Reuters had reported in June that Hyundai planned to buy the remaining interest, but neither Hyundai nor SoftBank responded to Reuters at that time.^[11] No primary-source closing announcement for the final 9.65 percent was located by the July 28, 2026 research cutoff. As of that date, Boston Dynamics was controlled by Hyundai Motor Group; the available sources did not establish that the final transaction had closed.^[11][12]

Leadership and expansion

Raibert led Boston Dynamics for most of its early history and later became chairman. Robert Playter, a longtime engineer and executive at the company, succeeded him as chief executive and led the commercial launches of Spot and Stretch. Playter stepped down in February 2026. Chief financial officer Amanda McMaster became interim chief executive while the company searched for a permanent successor.^[13]

In June 2026, Boston Dynamics announced plans to develop a 323,000-square-foot robotics and artificial intelligence center at 1601 Trapelo Road in Waltham. The company said it planned to invest $100 million, consolidate work then spread across three local sites, and add manufacturing, research, training, and operations capacity. Massachusetts approved a $25 million Economic Development Incentive Program award tied to the project.^[14][15] The announcement described a planned expansion, not a completed move; Boston Dynamics said the relocation would occur in phases beginning in 2027.^[14]

Products and software

Boston Dynamics distinguishes commercially available systems from research prototypes and scheduled deployments. Spot and Stretch have been sold to customers. In January 2026, Boston Dynamics unveiled a product version of Atlas, said manufacturing would begin immediately, and scheduled initial deployments for selected partners. Orbit is software rather than a robot.^{[16][19][23][25]}

Scroll sideways for more →

Spot

Spot is an electrically powered quadruped intended to carry sensors or a manipulator through stairs, uneven floors, and other environments that are difficult for many wheeled robots. Boston Dynamics first made it available through an early-adopter lease program. When commercial sales opened in June 2020, the company said more than 150 robots had taken part in that program at businesses and research facilities.^[16]

Published specifications for the current base robot list a mass of 33.8 kilograms with battery, a maximum speed of 1.6 metres per second, IP54 ingress protection, and an average battery runtime of 90 minutes. The product page lists a 14-kilogram maximum payload-mounting weight and notes that runtime varies with payload and environmental conditions.^[17] Accessories include cameras, acoustic and thermal sensors, communications equipment, lidar, and the Spot Arm. The robot can be driven manually or assigned autonomous missions; docks support charging and repeated scheduled work.^[17]

The base platform and its payloads serve different functions, so descriptions should identify the configuration being discussed. For example, a Spot carrying an inspection camera is not equivalent to one fitted with a manipulator, gas sensor, or laser scanner. Boston Dynamics reported in 2026 that more than 1,500 Spot robots were in customer hands, but this is a company-reported deployment figure rather than an independently audited sales total.^[17]

Customer accounts document practical uses alongside the company's demonstrations. Ontario Power Generation reported using Spot at the Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations for remote inspection of difficult or potentially hazardous areas. Its 2021 account described remote operation, a 360-degree camera, an electronic dosimeter, and tests on stairs and walkways.^[18] These examples show industrial use, but they do not establish that every Spot deployment is fully autonomous or uses the same payloads.

Stretch

Stretch is a mobile case-handling robot designed for warehouses and distribution centers. It combines a wheeled base, a perception system, a robotic arm, and a vacuum gripper. Boston Dynamics opened commercial purchasing in March 2022 after customer pilots. At launch, the company described unloading floor-loaded trailers and containers as the first application and specified cases weighing up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms).^[19]

The company's 2025 brochure lists a typical unloading rate of 600 to 800 cases per hour and operation for up to 16 hours with the high-capacity battery. Actual rates depend on the trailer, package mix, workflow, and surrounding equipment.^[20] Stretch decides how to handle detected cases using its vision system rather than requiring a preloaded catalogue of every box size.

DHL Group and Boston Dynamics signed a memorandum of understanding in May 2025 that could lead to more than 1,000 additional robots across DHL divisions. The announcement said deployed Stretch systems had reached up to 700 cases per hour and that the companies were investigating uses beyond unloading, including case picking.^[21] The memorandum describes a planned expansion. It should not be reported as proof that all 1,000 additional units had already been ordered, delivered, or placed in service.

Electric Atlas

Boston Dynamics introduced the electric Atlas in April 2024 after retiring the hydraulic research version. The company said the new platform would be developed with a small group of customers, starting with Hyundai, and framed it as the beginning of a commercial program rather than a finished mass deployment.^[22]

At CES in January 2026, Boston Dynamics unveiled a product version and said manufacturing would begin immediately. Initial 2026 fleets were scheduled for Hyundai's Robotics Metaplant Application Center and Google DeepMind, with additional customers planned later.^[23] Those statements establish a manufacturing and deployment schedule. They do not, by themselves, prove that every scheduled robot had entered routine production work by the research cutoff.

The December 2025 Atlas specification sheet lists the product at 1.9 metres tall and 90 kilograms, with 56 degrees of freedom and a 2.3-metre reach. It lists a 50-kilogram instantaneous lift, a 30-kilogram sustained lift, and a 20-kilogram one-handed capacity. The sheet also specifies IP67 ingress protection, an operating range from -20 to 40 degrees Celsius, a four-hour nominal battery life, two hours under heavy lifting, and a three-minute autonomous battery swap.^[24] These are manufacturer specifications for the electric product version, not measurements for the older hydraulic Atlas or guarantees of performance in every task.

Atlas can be operated autonomously, by virtual-reality teleoperation, or through a tablet interface, according to the same sheet. Its stated safety features include human detection and fenceless guarding.^[24] Detailed safety certification, task validation, and site integration remain application-specific questions for customers and regulators.

Orbit and the Kinema acquisition

Orbit is Boston Dynamics' software platform for assigning missions, monitoring robot fleets, reviewing inspection data, and connecting robot workflows to other operational systems. The product page describes cloud, on-premises, and virtual-machine deployment options, as well as interfaces for Spot, Stretch, and eventually Atlas.^[25] Orbit is part of the company's move from selling mobile hardware alone toward supplying software, data, and fleet-management tools.

In 2019, Boston Dynamics acquired Kinema Systems, whose Pick software used computer vision and deep learning to guide industrial arms in pallet handling. Boston Dynamics said the acquisition would strengthen its perception and logistics work.^[26] Pick appeared in the company's product materials at the time, but it is not listed alongside Spot, Stretch, and Atlas in the company's current robot portfolio. It is more accurate to treat Kinema and Pick as part of the development history of its logistics and perception capabilities than to list Pick as a current mobile robot.

Legacy research platforms

Boston Dynamics has built many systems that were experiments, government research platforms, or precursors to later products. They are not all commercial offerings.^[5]

Scroll sideways for more →

The company history page connects Handle directly to Stretch and describes Spot Classic as a predecessor of the commercial Spot. It also identifies the hydraulic Atlas as a source of work on whole-body control and manipulation.^[5] Such continuity does not mean that components, specifications, or software transfer unchanged between generations.

Control, perception, and learning

Dynamic balance

Boston Dynamics' early technical identity came from dynamic control. In Raibert's legged machines, balance was maintained through repeated sensing and correction during motion. The controller regulated vertical support, body attitude, and foot placement rather than planning only statically stable poses.^[3][4] BigDog extended that approach to a field robot by coordinating joint forces, gait timing, body posture, and contact with uneven ground.^[4]

This work helped establish a recurring design pattern: mechanical structure, sensing, state estimation, and control software are developed together. A video of a robot recovering from a disturbance can illustrate that integration, but it does not alone quantify reliability, autonomy, endurance, or safety. Those properties require task-specific testing.

Perception and autonomy

Current systems combine onboard sensors with external payloads and software. Spot can navigate recorded routes, avoid obstacles, dock, and collect visual, acoustic, thermal, or geometric data depending on its equipment.^[17] Stretch uses perception to identify cases and determine grasp locations during unloading.^[19] Orbit adds scheduling, dashboards, alerts, and integration with systems of record.^[25]

The word "autonomous" therefore covers several levels of behavior. A robot may execute a mapped inspection route without continuous steering while still requiring people to define the route, review results, maintain the site model, respond to exceptions, and manage safety. Some hazardous-response uses remain deliberately teleoperated.

Reinforcement learning and foundation models

Boston Dynamics has added machine learning to a control stack that also includes model-based methods and conventional robotics software. A 2025 peer-reviewed paper from the Robotics and AI Institute and Boston Dynamics described the first public end-to-end reinforcement learning locomotion policy deployed through the Spot RL Researcher Development Kit. In a research test, the policy exceeded 5.2 metres per second on a track.^[29] That result belongs to a research controller and should not replace Spot's published commercial maximum speed of 1.6 metres per second.^[17]

Boston Dynamics and the Robotics and AI Institute announced a shared reinforcement-learning pipeline for electric Atlas in February 2025. The stated research topics included simulation-to-real transfer, locomotion combined with manipulation, and tasks involving full-body contact.^[28] A separate 2024 agreement with Toyota Research Institute paired Atlas with research on large behavior models, teleoperated data collection, dexterous manipulation, and safety evaluation.^[27]

In January 2026, Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind announced joint research intended to integrate Gemini Robotics foundation models with Atlas. The announcement said the work would begin during 2026, so it should be described as a partnership and research plan rather than a completed Atlas capability.^[30] A more concrete integration appeared in April 2026, when Boston Dynamics said its AIVI-Learning inspection tool for Orbit used Gemini Robotics-ER 1.6 to help analyze industrial inspection images collected by Spot.^[31] This software integration is distinct from the planned Atlas research.

Commercialization and deployment

Boston Dynamics spent much of its history producing research platforms in small numbers. Spot's 2020 sales launch and Stretch's 2022 commercial release changed that model.^[16][19] In January 2026, the company said its product-development process drew on experience with more than 2,000 Spot and Stretch robots deployed into customer operations during the preceding five years.^[35] Because Boston Dynamics supplied that total, it should be attributed to the company rather than presented as an independently audited installed base.

Deployment is not a single technical milestone. A commercial robot must be integrated with a site's wireless network, safety procedures, maps, payloads, data systems, maintenance schedule, and staff workflows. Spot's open payload interfaces and software development kit support many configurations, while Stretch is designed around a narrower warehouse task. Atlas is being introduced through selected industrial partners rather than general online sale.^[16][19][23]

The June 2026 Waltham expansion plan reflects the growing manufacturing role in the business. Boston Dynamics said the new facility would consolidate research, manufacturing, training, and operations for Atlas, Spot, and Stretch.^[14] The project remained prospective at the cutoff date, as did the initial Atlas fleet schedule and the proposed purchase of SoftBank's remaining interest.

Responsible-use policies and public debate

Boston Dynamics publishes ethical principles stating that it will not weaponize its robots or support autonomous targeting systems. The principles also say the company will not authorize uses that violate privacy or civil-rights law and that government work must remain consistent with those limits.^[32] In 2022, Boston Dynamics and five other mobile-robot companies published an open letter pledging not to weaponize their general-purpose robots or support customers in doing so. The letter also called for policy and technical measures to reduce misuse.^[33]

These are company policies, not a legal guarantee that every third party will comply. Boston Dynamics' terms and customer screening can restrict authorized use, but public agencies and other operators make deployment decisions that may raise separate questions about surveillance, proportionality, public notice, and accountability.

New York City's use of Spot under the name Digidog illustrates that distinction. A 2024 report by the New York City Department of Investigation said the New York Police Department had leased a Spot Explorer for a 2021 pilot and purchased two Spot Enterprise units in 2023. The report counted five New York City deployments through its review period.^[34] It also concluded that the police department's existing surveillance policy did not provide enough Digidog-specific information about capabilities and use, and recommended clearer disclosure under the city's Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology Act.^[34]

The report did not conclude that Spot was autonomous or armed. It described Digidog as operator-controlled and examined cameras, thermal imaging, the Spot Arm, mapping equipment, and hazardous-material sensing as configuration-dependent capabilities.^[34] The episode shows why a company article should separate the manufacturer, the base robot, optional payloads, and the policies of a deploying agency.

See also

• Digital twin

References

1. ^Boston Dynamics. "About Boston Dynamics." bostondynamics.com/about. Accessed July 28, 2026.
2. ^MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. "Spin-offs: Boston Dynamics." csail.mit.edu/...spin-offs. Accessed July 28, 2026.
3. ^Marc Raibert et al. "Dynamically Stable Legged Locomotion: Second Report to DARPA, October 1, 1981 - December 31, 1982." Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute, January 1983. publications.ri.cmu.edu/...r-11981-december-311982.
4. ^Marc Raibert, Kevin Blankespoor, Gabriel Nelson, Rob Playter, and the BigDog Team. "BigDog, the Rough-Terrain Quadruped Robot." Proceedings of the 17th IFAC World Congress, 2008. DOI: 10.3182/20080706-5-KR-1001.01833. skoge.folk.ntnu.no/...4278.pdf.
5. ^Boston Dynamics. "Innovation at Boston Dynamics." bostondynamics.com/...history. Accessed July 28, 2026.
6. ^Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. "DARPA's ATLAS Robot Unveiled." July 11, 2013. darpa.mil/...atlas-robot-unveiled.
7. ^John Biggs. "Google Buys Boston Dynamics, Creator of Big Dog." TechCrunch, December 14, 2013. techcrunch.com/...ston-dynamics-creator-of-big-dog.
8. ^SoftBank Group. "SoftBank Announces Agreement to Acquire Boston Dynamics." June 9, 2017. group.softbank/...20170609_0.
9. ^SoftBank Group. "Sale of Shares in Subsidiary Boston Dynamics, Inc." December 11, 2020. group.softbank/...20201211_1.
10. ^Hyundai Motor Group, SoftBank Group, and Boston Dynamics. "Hyundai Motor Group Completes Acquisition of Boston Dynamics from SoftBank." June 21, 2021. group.softbank/...20210621.
11. ^Reuters. "Hyundai to buy SoftBank's remaining stake in Boston Dynamics for $325 million, newspaper says." June 19, 2026. m.investing.com/...-million-newspaper-says-4751274.
12. ^Yonhap News Agency. "Hyundai Motor Group to acquire remaining Boston Dynamics stake: sources." July 16, 2026. en.yna.co.kr/...AEN20260716006451320.
13. ^Rebecca Szkutak. "Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter steps down after 30 years at the company." TechCrunch, February 10, 2026. techcrunch.com/...wn-after-30-years-at-the-company.
14. ^Boston Dynamics. "Boston Dynamics Expands Massachusetts Footprint with New 323,000 Square Foot Facility in Waltham." June 24, 2026. bostondynamics.com/...are-foot-facility-in-waltham.
15. ^Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development. "Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council Awards $52 Million in Tax Credits to Businesses to Create, Retain Jobs." June 24, 2026. mass.gov/...ts-to-businesses-to-create-retain-jobs.
16. ^Boston Dynamics. "Boston Dynamics Launches Commercial Sales of Spot Robot." June 16, 2020. bostondynamics.com/...mmercial-sales-of-spot-robot.
17. ^Boston Dynamics. "Spot: The Agile Mobile Robot." bostondynamics.com/...spot. Accessed July 28, 2026.
18. ^Ontario Power Generation. "New robot dog Spot turning heads at OPG." January 15, 2021. opg.com/...new-robot-dog-spot-turning-heads-at-opg.
19. ^Boston Dynamics. "Boston Dynamics' Stretch Robot Now Available for Commercial Purchase." March 28, 2022. bostondynamics.com/...able-for-commercial-purchase.
20. ^Boston Dynamics. "Stretch: Mobile Automation for Case Handling." Product brochure, 2025. bostondynamics.com/...Brochure-2025-compressed.pdf.
21. ^DHL Group and Boston Dynamics. "DHL Group Signs MOU for Additional 1,000-Robot Deployment." May 13, 2025. bostondynamics.com/...tional-1000-robot-deployment.
22. ^Boston Dynamics. "An Electric New Era for Atlas." April 17, 2024. bostondynamics.com/...electric-new-era-for-atlas.
23. ^Boston Dynamics. "Boston Dynamics Unveils New Atlas Robot to Revolutionize Industry." January 5, 2026. bostondynamics.com/...ot-to-revolutionize-industry.
24. ^Boston Dynamics. "Atlas Specifications." Product specification sheet dated December 23, 2025. bostondynamics.com/...atlas-spec-sheet.pdf.
25. ^Boston Dynamics. "Orbit Robot Fleet Management Software." bostondynamics.com/...orbit. Accessed July 28, 2026.
26. ^Boston Dynamics. "Boston Dynamics Acquires Deep Learning-Based Vision Company." April 2, 2019. bostondynamics.com/...earning-based-vision-company.
27. ^Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute. "Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute Announce Partnership to Advance Robotics Research." October 16, 2024. bostondynamics.com/...to-advance-robotics-research.
28. ^Boston Dynamics and the Robotics and AI Institute. "Boston Dynamics and the Robotics and AI Institute Partner to Advance Humanoid Robots." February 5, 2025. bostondynamics.com/...obotics-ai-institute-partner.
29. ^A. J. Miller, Fangzhou Yu, Michael Brauckmann, and Farbod Farshidian. "High-Performance Reinforcement Learning on Spot: Optimizing Simulation Parameters with Distributional Measures." IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2025. rai-inst.com/...nce-reinforcement-learning-on-spot.
30. ^Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind. "Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind Form New AI Partnership to Bring Foundational Intelligence to Humanoid Robots." January 5, 2026. bostondynamics.com/...mind-form-new-ai-partnership.
31. ^Boston Dynamics. "AIVI-Learning Is Now Powered by Google Gemini Robotics." April 8, 2026. bostondynamics.com/...wered-google-gemini-robotics.
32. ^Boston Dynamics. "Boston Dynamics Ethical Principles." bostondynamics.com/ethics. Accessed July 28, 2026.
33. ^Agility Robotics, ANYbotics, Boston Dynamics, Clearpath Robotics, Open Robotics, and Unitree Robotics. "General Purpose Robots Should Not Be Weaponized." October 6, 2022. bostondynamics.com/...ots-should-not-be-weaponized.
34. ^New York City Department of Investigation, Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD. "An Assessment of NYPD's Compliance with the POST Act." May 2024. nyc.gov/...25PostActRelease_Rpt_05_30_2024.pdf.
35. ^Boston Dynamics. "Enterprise Robotics, Redefined." January 2026. bostondynamics.com/...enterprise-robotics-redefined.
36. ^Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. "Upgraded Atlas Robot to Go Wireless as the Stakes Are Raised for the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals." January 20, 2015. darpa.mil/...atlas-robot-wireless.
37. ^Michael P. Murphy, Aaron Saunders, Cassie Moreira, Alfred A. Rizzi, and Marc Raibert. "The LittleDog Robot." The International Journal of Robotics Research, volume 30, issue 2, 2011, pages 145-149. DOI: 10.1177/0278364910387457. journals.sagepub.com/...0278364910387457.