Boston Dynamics staff protest ICE robot dog sale
More than 300 employees signed a petition, but executives stood by the deal.
Policy#07
$1.3M
Contract value for four modified robot dogs
Image: Ars Technica
$1.3MContract value for four modified robot dogs
The short version
- On September 25, the Department of Homeland Security awarded a $1.3 million contract to Radeco for modified Boston Dynamics quadruped robots.
- The contract covers four Spot robots modified by Radeco and marketed as Cerberus, which are intended to detect radiation, toxic gas leaks and explosive threats.
- The petition had more than 300 signatures, half of them anonymous, from a workforce of approximately 1,400 people.
- Executives stood by the deal and said the robots would not be weaponized. Boston Dynamics said its terms prohibit using Spot as a weapon.
Why it matters
The case shows how makers of advanced robots face pressure over who buys their products. Employees warned that the deal could make it harder to hire and keep staff as the company scales up Spot and Atlas.
“Spot robots are tools that help keep people out of harm’s way,”