“Ghost Robotics Stole Our Robot Dog!” Shouts Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics advocates against robotic weaponization, a possible authentic reason for the lawsuit

A robot dog Vs a robot dog with a gun. Will they fight tooth and nail? They are. But for reasons that lie beyond the battleground. In a recent lawsuit, the robot-dog manufacturer Boston Dynamics sued Ghost robotics for copyright violations. It accused Ghost robotics of duplicating its Vision 60 and Spirit 40 quadrupled dog robotic mechanisms which include how the robots navigate stairs and gait interruption, etc. It filed a lawsuit in Delaware court on an accusation of infringing on multiple patents applicable to the Spot Robot dog.  "Boston Dynamics' early success with the Spot robot did not go unnoticed by competitors in the robotics industry, including Ghost Robotics," said Boston dynamics in the lawsuit. As per reports, the Hyudai-owned company is seeking damages including the interest calculated pre and post-courtroom battle.

While it denied commenting on the pending lawsuit, it said it was firm on protecting its IP rights and not averse to competition in the mobile robotics market. It claims it had successfully applied to around 500 patents and patent applications so far. Going into the details, the suite mentions that Boston Dynamics asked Ghost to review its patents followed by multiple requests. The suit also offers a list of alleged infringements by Ghost robotics.

Clearly, though the lawsuit is framed on the basis of copyright infringement, experts believe Boston is doing it on altruistic grounds. Boston, though had deployed its Spot robot to the service of NYPD, the US law enforcement agency, it is conscious of how its robots are used.

 Boston Dynamics had been fiercely opposing the weaponization of robots and is part of anti-robotic weaponization group. In an open letter, last month is said "Weaponized applications of these newly-capable robots will also harm public trust in the technology in ways that damage the tremendous benefits they will bring to society." It didn't even take it well when a performance art group used a paintball gun mounted on its robot dog Spot's head to be used as an internet-controlled machine. The group MSCHF (Mischief) said it is all to prove the point that police are eventually going to deploy them for law-and-order services.

Ghost robotics, however, unfazed by the allegations, called the suit "obstructive and baseless". In a statement given to TechCrunch it said, " Ghost Robotics' success has not gone unnoticed by Boston Dynamics. Rather than compete on a level playing field, the company chose to file an obstructive and baseless lawsuit in an attempt to halt the newcomer's progress."