The world’s most advanced robodog has been already deployed to warn park-goers about social distancing.
Now the powerful droid by Boston Dynamics has a new mission - herding sheep.
The autonomous canine, with the release name of Spot, as been programmed with “remote mission” capabilities to operate in hard-to-reach hillsides as part of a project with robotic cloud firm Rocos.
The company said advancements mean the unit is able to undertake jobs that are “dull, dirty or dangerous for humans”.
Its developments as a shepherd’s four-legged assistant were revealed in a video clip showing its agricultural uses, helping to work farmland and orchards in New Zealand, including managing a flock of sheep.
The 3mph robot is guided by infrared cameras, real-time mapping technologies and advanced sensors.
Authorities in Singapore have already used Spot to roam parks, reminding people to keep their distance from each other.
Previous videos have shown the robots opening doors and dancing to music.
The customisable robots can walk up steps 30cm (12in) high and run on a 90-minute battery.
Future uses will see remotely-controlled robodogs capturing 3D visualisations of terrain too tough for humans to reach without considerable infrastructure.
The firm said that in the future Spot would also unleashed on solo missions “corralling sheep without the supervision of humans".
Rocos chief executive David Inggs said: “By connecting robots to the cloud, we can help them combine a cloud software layer with robotics to achieve physical automation at scale.
“Our customers are augmenting their human workforces to automate physical processes that are often dull, dirty, or dangerous.
