Earlier this month, Hyundai acquired a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics that valued the company at $1.1 billion. What’s most interesting about the news isn’t the acquisition itself (it does, after all, find Boston Dynamics switching hands for the third time in seven years), but rather what the company’s evolution tells us about the state of robotics in 2020.
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A lot can change in a year. Especially this year. For Boston Dynamics, the past 12 months have brought a number of radical changes traditionally not seen at 30-year-old businesses of its size. It’s a list that includes the first new CEO in the company’s history, wide availability of its first commercial product, and most recently, being acquired by its third owner in seven years.
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It’s official. Boston Dynamics is becoming part of the Hyundai family (pending regulatory approval, naturally). The Waltham, Massachusetts-based robot maker confirmed in a press release today that the South Korean technology company is acquiring controlling interest. The deal, which values the company at $1.1 billion, gives Hyundai Motor Group an 80% stake, with SoftBank controlling the remaining 20%.
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As the pandemic wears on, humanoid robots that can perform general tasks could become increasingly important. They can move heavy objects in warehouses, assist with last-yard deliveries, and potentially be involved in other tasks where low human-to-human contact is preferable for safety reasons. Agility Robotics is one of the companies making these helper robots.
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The global pandemic has persuaded a number of manufacturers to pursue an AI-driven transformation of their operations, according to studies by Cap Gemini and the Boston Consulting Group. What has been noticed is the way in which they are combining human experience and insight with AI tools to find ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
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A VentureBeat published our interview with Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter. We discussed his first year as CEO; the company’s profitability target after three decades (Boston Dynamics was founded in 1992); Spot, Pick, Handle, and Atlas; and the company’s broader roadmap, including which robots are next.
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