Boston Dynamics Employees Protest Sale of Robot Dogs to ICE

Employee Opposition to ICE Contract

Hundreds of employees at Boston Dynamics signed a petition urging executives to cancel a deal to sell their robot dogs to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The petition, with over 300 signatures, was sent to company executives in early September.

The employees expressed concern about the public perception and potential misuse of their technology, stating that the risk for Boston Dynamics was too great to continue with the deal.

Contract Details and Executive Stance

The Department of Homeland Security awarded a $1.3 million contract to Radeco, a Connecticut company, to provide ICE with modified versions of Boston Dynamics' quadruped robots. Boston Dynamics executives confirmed they would proceed with the deal, asserting the robots would not be weaponized.

The contract involves four Boston Dynamics Spot robots, which Radeco modified and marketed as Cerberus.

Cerberus Robot Capabilities

The Cerberus robots are designed for specific tasks, including detecting radiation, toxic gas leaks, and explosive threats in urban environments or disaster zones. They are also intended for remote observation and inspection missions.

Key features of the Cerberus upgrade include an oxygen sensor to assess air quality in confined spaces, a camera with 30-times zoom, 360-degree cameras, and infrared thermal imaging.