Famed robotic dog renamed to Sparkles after dazzling fur makeover video

Boston Dynamics, one of the world's leading robotics manufacturers, has released a new video on its YouTube channel showcasing how one of its Spot robot dogs has received a makeover.

The robotics design and engineering company released a new video showcasing one of its Spot Mini dogs in a suit of sparkly fur, which the company describes as a "custom costume". Seemingly, the idea behind the video and the costume is to "explore the intersections of robotics, art, and entertainment." The video is certainly a glimpse into a potentially dystopian future of the world where four-legged robotic dogs dressed in sparkly costumes have taken over the world and are running the streets in dazzling glory.

Boston Dynamics doesn't provide too much information on why Spot has been renamed to "Sparkles", or why this video even exists in the first place. The only pieces of information Boston Dynamics gives are the intent to explore the intersections of robotics, art, and entertainment, and "Spot is meeting another strange dog and making friends through the power of dance" - which they certainly do.

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As for other robotic dogs that arguably have a similar amount of purpose, ThrowFlame has recently made available its Thermonator, a robotic dog that uses the skeleton of Boston Dynamics' Spot, but is equipped with a flamethrower capable of launching a stream of fire 30 feet for 45 minutes. ThrowFlame has said Thermonator isn't intended to be a weapon and is designed for is designed for "wildfire control and prevention," "snow and ice removal," and "entertainment and SFX."