Boston Dynamics sues rival Ghost Robotics for allegedly copying its robotic canine (up to date)

Competitors within the robotic canine market is getting ugly. As The Robotic Report explains, Boston Dynamics is suing Ghost Robotics for allegedly infringing seven patents linked to its Spot quadruped. The Spirit 40 and Imaginative and prescient 60 (proven above) purportedly borrow key applied sciences from Spot, together with methods for self-righting and climbing stairs.

Boston Dynamics says it requested Ghost Robotics to overview Spot-related patents in July 2020, 5 months after the launch of the Spirit 40. After that, Boston claims to have despatched two cease-and-desist letters asking Ghost to cease advertising and marketing its robotic canines. Ghost was thus effectively conscious of what it was doing, in response to the lawsuit.

We have requested Ghost Robotics for remark. In an announcement, Boston Dynamics claimed it “welcome[s] competitors” however would crack down on firms violating its mental property rights. The Hyundai-owned agency is looking for unspecified damages as a part of the swimsuit.

A lawsuit like this is not surprising. Boston Dynamics initially targeted on analysis, but it surely has more and more turned to commercializing robots like Spot and Stretch. Rivals like Ghost Robotics may pose threats to Boston’s still-young enterprise, whether or not or not they’re copying expertise within the course of. Even when the swimsuit fails, it may deter different firms from making robotic canines of their very own.

Replace 11/17 4:51PM ET: Ghost Robotics has responded to the lawsuit. It accuses Boston Dynamics of submitting an “obstructive and baseless” swimsuit to stifle competitors.