Spot "Digidog" Robot

This guide is about Boston Dynamics’ robot “dog” Spot, sometimes referred to as “Digidog”.

At least in New York City, these robots are being used by law enforcement. In fact, it appears they have been in use since at least October 2020 in NYC. Yes, the implications of this are terrifying.

Key points:

• The battery is located on its “stomach” and can be easily removed. If you are able access it, removing it will instantly disable the robot.
• The joints in the “limbs” are dangerous and could crush your fingers. Beware.
• As of this writing, Spot is unarmed and there are no weapon accessory attachments available.
• Spot is purely optical, thus paint, a blanket, or tape, could severely impair it.
• Spot communicates over WiFi.
• Spot is controlled by an Android app running on a tablet.

Here’s useful information from a thread by @LenKusov:

PSA: if you or someone nearby are being brutalized by a police Spot robot and can get a hand or something underneath, grab this handle and yank it forward. This releases the battery, instantly disabling the robot.

Keep your hands away from joints, Spot WILL crush your fingers.

If you are a bystander and can get behind spot, don’t hit the power button, hit the OTHER button — it physically disconnects the motors.

Spot can also be countered with booby traps easily.

If you’re armed, shoot center-of-mass as normal. The lithium pack is huge and not armored.

Spot is also purely optical, meaning paint, dust, a sheet or blanket, sticky tape, etc can severely impair it.

Original stereo cameras on the face. 360 camera, pan/tilt/zoom cam, and LIDAR rangefinders on accessory rails.

If you’re feeling creative, and can prepare beforehand, Spot is literally just controlled with an Android tablet. In manual (as in, non-autonomous) mode, Spot is literally just communicating over Wifi.

A WiFi jammer based on an ESP2866 is $40 on Amazon, just sayin.

Ostensibly, Spot was never meant to see combat — at least the current iteration of it.

There is, of course, military versions in the works that probably get rid of most of these vulnerabilities but police departments are buying the civilian ones just cause they can.

The quick-change batteries, safety cutout, wifi control, etc make plenty of sense for the ADVERTISED usage cases of disaster recovery, warehousing, power plant maintenance, HAZMAT, EOD, etc as this isn’t even supposed to get within 2 meters of anyone while running.

Additional Information

• Spot produce page
• Various manuals, specifications, and other documents
• Note that various accessories are available, like a 360-degree camera and LIDAR