- Published 2026.10.09 14:03
Deployed on Detroit streets to collect trash with a robot arm
Overcomes urban terrain such as steps that wheeled devices struggle with
Formal deployment decided after months of human supervision
Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot Spot is set to become a street-cleaning robot that picks up trash in downtown Detroit. The robot, which has mainly operated in industrial sites and disaster zones, is now being tested to expand its range into everyday public spaces.
Bedrock Detroit, a U.S. real estate developer, said on Oct. 7 (local time) through local media that it will begin public trials of Spot in the city center in cooperation with Boston Dynamics. As early as Oct. 14, a Spot equipped with a robot arm will start collecting discarded trash such as cigarette butts on downtown Detroit streets.
The trial is an opportunity to gauge how effectively a four-legged robot can operate in complex, human-centered urban infrastructure. Spot has so far been used mainly to patrol dangerous construction sites or inspect hard-to-reach special areas such as nuclear power plants.
Bedrock Detroit noted that Spot can freely navigate human terrain such as stairs and doors. The two sides spent six to eight months preparing for the project.
Kevin Mull, senior director at Bedrock Detroit, said, "Trash collection is not yet a commercialized solution, and this will likely be the first time Boston Dynamics tests it in downtown Detroit," adding, "We are also considering using Spot to deliver cargo dropped by drones on rooftops into buildings, patrol parking lots for security, and inspect buildings." For cleaning large floor areas and ground delivery, the company is separately testing other types of robot platforms instead of Spot.
Most commercially available autonomous cleaning robots are wheeled and optimized for flat indoor and outdoor spaces such as airports and large supermarkets. On urban sidewalks with many steps and pedestrians, wheeled robots have limited mobility, and humanoid robots have not yet reached general commercialization. Deploying four-legged robots for street cleaning is seen as an alternative to fill this technological gap.
However, there are clear hurdles to full commercialization. The trash collection trial is not fully autonomous but will be conducted under direct human management and supervision for several months. It has also not been independently verified through public metrics how quickly and precisely Spot's robot arm can identify and pick up small, irregularly shaped street trash.
A key point to watch during the trial is whether the robot can ensure safety without colliding with pedestrians in a complex urban environment. Bedrock Detroit plans to reduce human intervention and formally deploy Spot to actual sites if positive results are confirmed during the months-long test operation.
※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.
