Meet Spot the dog

By: Kyley Wilhite

Associate Producer

The Tarleton State University Engineering Department is currently raising money to buy a robot dog from Boston Dynamics. 

The model, called “Spot,” is completely potty trained, can walk upstairs and will carry up to 14 kilograms.

According to Boston Dynamics, Spot able to “automate sensing and inspection, capture limitless data and explore without boundaries.”

There are “missing dog” flyers for Spot posted around the Tarleton campus. The QR code on the flyer provides Avery Campbell’s contact information to ask questions about the dog or donate money to the cause.

“If we end up getting the dog, we plan to have it go on Texan tours and have it painted Tarleton purple,” Campbell said.

The robotic dog has, according to Campbell, already been approved by President James Hurley. The dog just needs money in order to be purchased, which is sitting at a high price of $75,400.

“I asked Dr. Martinez, who is the Associate Dean of Engineering about getting this robot dog to which she replied, ‘Do you have $100,000?’ So basically, if the new Inaugural College of Engineering raises half the money, then the school will pay for the other half,” Campbell said.

The dog is set to be on campus next semester if the department can raise the money in time. There is no name currently for the dog, but Campbell says that they are brainstorming something Texan related.

“I really love the idea of the dog because of all of the potential capabilities. One of these being research with Dr. Deomontes. Another being, you know, teaching capabilities for the Engineering students to see how this thing works and make more later on for campus use,” Campbell said.

This purchase could definitely be one that puts Tarleton on the map as it is something different, that other schools don’t have.

In order to donate to the cause, scan the QR code to contact Campbell.

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