Spot, Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot, may be famous for its viral dance videos, but its real job goes far beyond entertainment. Weighing about the same as a German Shepherd, this high-tech “robot dog” is now stepping into life-and-death scenarios, joining bomb squads, SWAT teams and rescue units across North America. Five years after its launch, SPOT is now being used by more than 60 police departments across the US and Canada, working on dangerous missions such as armed standoffs, hostage rescues and hazardous materials operations. Each unit carries a hefty price tag, starting at around $100,000 (roughly Rs. 90 lakh) and reaching up to $250,000 with advanced add-ons.

What can Spot do?

Thanks to a recent software upgrade, Spot can climb stairs, open doors, and even navigate slippery surfaces. Operators control the robot through a tablet-style console that streams live video from its multiple onboard cameras, while built-in sensors help it autonomously map and avoid obstacles. “It did the trick,” Massachusetts State Police trooper John Ragosa recalled of the hostage rescue in which Spot faced a gunman. “The suspect was stunned, wondering ‘What dog is this?'”

Spot has also been deployed in less dramatic but equally risky situations, such as inspecting a chemical leak at a school or surveying dangerous accident sites, where dispatching human responders could be life-threatening.

According to Boston Dynamics, about 2,000 Spot robots are now in operation globally. While most serve industrial customers in manufacturing and utilities, interest in law enforcement has skyrocketed. “We’ve seen a sharp increase in demand from police and emergency agencies,” said Brendan Shulman, the company’s vice president of policy and government relations.

Ethics and costs of robotic policing

Robots have long been adjuncts to police work, with bomb squads starting to use them in the 1980s, but Spot’s four-legged mobility sets it apart. Robin Murphy, professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, said this gives it “far greater agility than traditional wheeled or tracked robots.”

Nevertheless, its proliferation has sparked fierce debate over costs, accountability and the militarization of local police. Critics fear that the generalization of robotic devices could alienate police from the public they serve. In 2021, the New York Police Department temporarily halted use of the Spot, before restoring it and purchasing two new units, following an outcry over its expense and potential surveillance role.

“You can’t really trust the goodwill of any particular company when it comes to these technologies,” warned Beryl Lipton of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). “It’s not really a dog, it’s just another piece of police technology.”

Ryan Callow, a law professor at the University of Washington, agreed that caution is important. “Excessive use of robotics in policing will make the police more inhumane to the public,” he said, stressing the need for clear operational rules. “Nobody wants officers to risk their lives, but we also don’t want to live in a robotic police state.”

For now, Spot remains a paradox: a symbol of innovation and a lightning rod for controversy, a robot once built to dance now making its way into the complex world of modern policing.