boston dynamics' dog robot SPOT sniffs out to guard the ruins of pompeii

a quadruped robot at the service of archaeology

the four-legged robot dubbed ‘SPOT’ is one of the latest monitoring operations at the archeological park of pompeii, italy, in a bid to protect the site. developed by the US-based boston dynamics, the dog robot wanders around the streets and tunnels of the ancient site, scanning even the smallest of spaces. serving as an artificial guard, SPOT will patrol the site, protecting it from illegal relic hunters. by utilizing cameras and sensors, it can agilely cross even the hardest routes, gathering and recording data useful for the study and planning of interventions.

the purpose of using innovative technological solutions ‘is precisely to improve both the quality of monitoring of the existing areas, and to further our knowledge of the state of progress of the works in those areas undergoing recovery or restoration, and thereby manage the safety of the site, as well as that of workers.’ according to park authorities, these experiments form part of the broader smart@pompei project of the archaeological park of pompeii, which aspires to an intelligent, sustainable and inclusive management of the park.

all images by pompeii

four-legged robot protects the ruins from grave robbers

SPOT by boston dynamics can operate on different types of terrain with agility and autonomy, allowing the automation of routine inspection activities and the collection of data in a safe manner. the four-legged robot has been equipped with two modes of functionality, including the leica BLKARC and the spot CAM+ sensor respectively. ‘these smart platforms for data analysis, such as that created by sprint reply, form the necessary basis for making data acquired during such robot inspections usable and accessible for applications at the archaeological park of pompeii.’

‘often the safety conditions within the tunnels dug by grave robbers are extremely precarious, as a consequence of which the use of a robot could signify a breakthrough that would allow us to proceed with greater speed and in total safety,’ declares director general gabriel zuchtriegel.