A new robotic ‘dog’ has been put to the test on the frontline of Australia’s biosecurity.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said Spot had been trialled at the Port of Darwin undertaking a container inspection and at Jabiru, where the robot took part in mine rehabilitation and research activities.
“Move over Muster Dogs, this robotic canine can carry up to 14kg of inspection gear and has 360-degree perception capability and sensors to collect biosecurity data. I believe it can also muster sheep and climb stairs,” Minister Littleproud said.
“In Darwin, biosecurity officers used Spot in a trial inspection of a cargo container to detect planted biosecurity risk materials.
“This tested Spot’s infrared night vision and ability to inspect the container’s underside.
“At the Ranger Mine, Spot surveyed flora at a revegetation site, including identifying weeds and looking for signs of returning wildlife.
“Spot was also fitted with a gamma sensor and conducted radionuclide counts over a mine rehabilitation site.
“Robots can decrease safety risks for our staff and boost our tools to keep Australia safe from biosecurity threats.”
Find images and video of Spot for use here: Robotic dog Spot innovation pilot media file –
Fast Facts:
- Spot the Boston Dynamics robot dog can travel at speeds of up to 1.6 metres per second or 6km/h
- Spot is also being trialled in the areas of law enforcement and construction.
- This $34,000 pilot was funded by the Innovation Pilots Team and is part of the government’s commitment to explore robotic aptitude and new technologies to bolster Australia’s biosecurity risk detection capabilities.
