Boston Dynamics SPOT Dog
general info
The SPOT dog is safe to use when you know how to operate it.
Follow the steps below for booting up, pairing, driving and disconnecting SPOT!
In the Tech Shop there are two different types of Boston Dynamics SPOT Dogs. Either dog has different features. Read below for the specs!
Foo
Foo has no arm, but can be utilized for other attachments like LIDAR or SPOT CORE.
Bar
Bar has an arm! It can be utilized for opening doors and more!
SETUP
First find out if SPOT has a battery. The battery is located on the underside of SPOT. Carefully flip over SPOT onto it's back if the robot is laying down. Please ask a STAFF member to help you flip over SPOT! The robot is HEAVY!
If SPOT does have a battery, continue to POWERING ON AND CONNECTING.
If SPOT does not have a battery ask a STAFF member for one.
After getting the battery or checking that one is in SPOT, check the battery power by pressing the "SOC" button.
Depending on how long you intend on using SPOT, gauge if the amount of green lights is enough for your use. With all lights on, SPOT lasts for a few hours.
battery assembly
Foo usually needs a battery to be assembled, Bar has a docking station where it charges.
To place the battery into SPOT, first open the handle. With the handle, guide the battery into the slot.
Make sure that the groove fits into the slot
Push the handle all the way back before placing it down
Follow the gif to the below and the guide to the right for guidance or ask a STAFF member for help!
If you have correctly placed the battery in SPOT, you should hear a slight click. Flip SPOT back over once you have the battery inserted.
refresh the page for the gif to load again. it does not loop
POWERING ON AND CONNECTING
Power on the controller with the power button on the top!
Open the spot app, where there should be a menu displaying either Foo or Bar depending on which robot you are working with.
Next turn SPOT on with the button on his rear.
Hold down the POWER button and MOTOR(LOCKOUT) button for a few seconds until they light up. SPOT will also start to boot up, and will make slight noise. This is okay.
When SPOT has finished booting up, check the controller and make sure there is a green circle next to the robot name. This means that you can connect.
If there is no green circle, wait a few more minutes for SPOT to power up. If you cannot get a green circle to show up ask a staff member!
Tap on the robot name and wait for the password screen to pop up. Ask a staff member for the password.
Once you have the password, follow the prompts on the screen to connect to start the motors. With the motors on click "POWER ON". If using Bar(arm) follow the undocking steps below, if using Foo skip to controls.
Undocking (BAR ONLY)
To undock SPOT make sure that the robot is on and paired to the controller.
Press the green "POWER ON & UNDOCK" button and wait for SPOT to stand up and move out of the dock.
After undocking, follow the controls steps below!
controls
When SPOT finishes powering on, you should see the screen with cameras and control options.
walk
stand
sit
The HT slider is for "height" and the MED slider is for "speed".
DOCKING (BAR ONLY)
After you are done with using SPOT (Bar), the robot needs to go back on the docking station.
Make sure there is enough space around the dock and the robot for it to dock. A few feet is sufficient and also make sure there are no obstacles or things the robot can step on.
Navigate Spot within two meters of the Spot Dock so the robot can detect the Spot Dock fiducial. SPOT docks by using fiducials. Detected fiducials will be highlighted in purple. However, Spot will not be able to dock until the Dock Action is performed.
Tap on the "+" icon in the bottom right corner and then tap on "Dock".
The fiducial on the docking station should be surrounded with a green outline. Tap on the fiducial and tap on "DOCK HERE".
disconnecting
To disconnect SPOT, first cut the power. Press the red "STOP" button in the top right corner and tap "CUT POWER".
After disconnecting the controller, turn off SPOT by pressing and holding the POWER and MOTOR(LOCKOUT) buttons for a few seconds.
You should hear the robot power down. Once SPOT is powered down make sure that SPOT is in the correct place (either on the dock or under the table), the controller is plugged in and charging, the battery is plugged in and charging and that you have notified a STAFF member that you are done using SPOT.
