Few power plants allow pets onsite, but that number will grow in the coming years, as a new breed of dog is adopted by plant operators. Boston Dynamic’s “Spot” the dog has become world famous from viral videos of it doing everything from showing off its dance moves to training for the Iditarod. Earlier this year it even appeared as the first robotic guest on Jimmy Fallon.
Last year, this dog added another job to its already impressive resume when it joined the team at Duke Energy. So far, Spot's been busy helping its human co-workers safely perform inspections at the Oconee Nuclear Station.
At around two feet tall and three feet long, the robotic dog can easily reach places inaccessible to humans, such as underground piping. As a robot, it can even enter a nuclear containment building while it’s online. These functions can help plants run safely and efficiently, so that nuclear reactors can continue providing the U.S. with its largest source of carbon-free electricity.
Spot also comes with a mounted high-definition camera and the ability to carry other devices depending on the task at hand. An employee with a remote control can operate the camera and audio of the dog. It comes with 5G connection, allowing it to livestream what it sees in real time, providing enhanced detail.
Advanced Collision Avoidance AI gives Spot the ability to figure out how to navigate around objects that may block its path—no controller required. Spot even knows when it’s time to change its batteries, located under its belly. When it’s time to switch them out, Spot rolls over.
Spot isn’t alone in this wave of robotic advancement. Another robot, the Guardian S, made by Sarcos, has been used by Duke Energy to safely perform drainpipe inspections. Its cameras and live feed allow employees to more efficiently collect data on any breakdowns in the metal.
While Spot may be the most famous of its kind, it isn’t the only four-legged working robot on the market. MIT has a been at work on a smaller robot nicknamed “mini cheetah,” Anybotics in Switzerland is building one called Anymal, and dozens of others are currently in development at startups around the world. The market for working inspection robots earned $940 million in revenue in 2020, and that number is expected to hit $13.94 billion by 2030.
Spot is only one example of the nuclear industry utilizing the latest technologies, and this isn’t the first time that robots and carbon-free nuclear energy have come together. NASA’s own Perseverance rover on Mars is powered by a nuclear battery.
Our most reliable source of carbon-free energy, nuclear power, will continue to be at the forefront of innovation here on Earth as we work to reach our climate goals.
