Google enters the race of robots - FORTUNE

LONDON – Google has acquired Boston Dynamics, a company known for developing ultrafast zoomorphic robots that have strong ties to the U.S. military.

Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert, confirmed the purchase to CNNMoney.

“We are excited and look forward to bringing robotics to other levels, working as part of the successful team of Google,” he said.

The acquisition is part of the business plan of the famous search engine to enter the field of robotics, a strategy directed by the man responsible for the development of the Android platform for smartphones, Andy Rubin.

recent semester, the technology without much fuss has purchased a total of eight specialized companies in this field, and some of them have announced the beginning of a “robotic revolution”.

Raibert declined to comment on the price Google paid by your company, and declined to give more details about plans for product development.

Boston Dynamics has built a solid reputation for high performance robots that can outrun sprinter Usain Bolt, climb walls like a gecko lizard and jump as high as 30 feet (9.1 meters).

collaborates with the U.S. military to develop advanced robots and has close links with the Research Projects Agency Defense Advanced, or DARPA.

The firm has won nearly $ 140 million in contracts with the Department of Defense United States since 2000, according to USASpending.gov website. During the same period, Google earned less than $ 300,000 in defense contracts.

Amazon Response

The acquisition comes at a time when technology companies increased their experimentation with the use of robotics to offer services: Amazon announced earlier this month that it planned to use unmanned aerial vehicles (drones ) to make deliveries to customers.

Google has entered the race to commercialize driverless cars. Nevada became the first state in the American Union to grant the license for such vehicles last year.

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CEO and co-founder, Larry Page, wrote this month in a public statement that he was excited about the new project Andy Rubin. “It’s still in early stages, but I can not wait to see the progress,” he said.

Boston Dynamics was founded in 1992, having been issued by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

* Mark Thompson

CNNMoney contributed in this note.