US Media Spotlight on Robot Dog Patrolling Trump Residence
Developed by Hyundai Motor Group Subsidiary Boston Dynamics
"Used for Security at President-Elect's Home... Supporting Protective Activities"
The robot dog deployed for the security of Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, has been confirmed to be 'Spot' from Boston Dynamics, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group.
On the 11th, the New York Post reported, "A robot dog patrolling around Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida, where President-elect Trump’s residence is located, was spotted last weekend," adding, "The letters 'USSS,' representing the United States Secret Service, were clearly visible on the robot dog's body." Regarding this, the Secret Service stated, "The robot dog is an asset of the Secret Service and is being used for security at President-elect Trump's residence," and added, "While we cannot disclose specific technical specifications, the robot dog is equipped with surveillance technology and advanced sensors that support our security operations."
On the 8th (local time), a robotic dog was patrolling inside Mar-a-Lago, the residence of President-elect Donald Trump, in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo by Yonhap News
Spot is a quadruped robot developed by Boston Dynamics. It performs data collection and inspection tasks using cameras and sensors. It is known to be more useful when deployed in dangerous sites that are difficult for humans to approach or during nighttime hours with limited visibility. Having been on the market for over five years, it has been continuously improved based on actual field experience, ensuring its reliability. Several local police departments in the United States already use it for search and bomb disposal purposes. U.S. media outlets believe that for these reasons, Spot has been deployed for the security of the President-elect.
President Yoon Suk-yeol is inspecting the robot dog 'Spot' during his visit to Hyundai Motor Global Innovation Center (HMGICS) in Singapore on the afternoon of the 8th last month (local time). Photo by Yonhap News
Boston Dynamics possesses world-class expertise in essential robot operation technologies such as locomotion, perception, and control. In a recently released video, their humanoid robot 'New Atlas,' powered by electric motors, was shown freely moving parts within a factory.
Hyundai Motor Group invested $880 million (approximately 1.2 trillion KRW) in August 2020 to acquire an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics. The shares are divided among Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun (20%), Hyundai Motor Company (30%), Hyundai Mobis (20%), and Hyundai Glovis (10%), with the remaining 20% held by SoftBank. Although Boston Dynamics records annual losses amounting to several hundred billion KRW, it is currently preparing for a Nasdaq listing in the United States. When Hyundai Motor Group purchased the 80% stake from SoftBank, it promised to complete the listing by the end of June 2025.
Chairman Chung emphasized during a presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2022, when he appeared on stage with Spot, "Just as people carry their mobile phones every day, someday people will carry Spot with them."
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