Boston Dynamics robot dogs steal Paris fashion show

In Paris, fashion designer Coperni partnered with Boston Dynamics for the first ever fashion show in which robot dogs were the stars.

In a catwalk in the world’s most romantic city, the “Spots,” Boston Dynamics’ robot canines, took to the stage in all their glory. Five modern-day Hounds of the Baskervilles made their debut on stage.

Robots helping models

The Spots even helped the models. One helped a model take her coat off, while another picked up and carried a model’s handbag for her.

The robots mesmerized and amused the audience, but many wondered who was controlling them. At the end of the show, the machines were joined by their handlers while audience members rushed to take selfies with them.

Coperni heads Sébastien Meyer, and Arnaud Vaillant traveled to Boston to meet the creators of the robots to take part in their show.

A show with a positive message

Vaillant told The Guardian that Boston Dynamics was “the first robot company who signed a charter that they would never give weapons to robots, the first who sent robots to Ukraine to clear dangerous bomb sites.”

“Ours is a positive message that humans and technology can live together in harmony.” He added, however, that he first had reservations about the mighty little machines. “But now, I think they are just beautiful.”

The Spots never miss an opportunity to show off in front of the cameras.

In addition to helping out in nuclear power plants, or measuring COVID-19 patients’ vitals, the robots are often featured in entertaining videos.

In February of 2021, Boston Dynamics released a video showing off all the new tricks Spot can do with its robotic arm system. The part near the end of the video was especially magnificent when two Spot robots held and swirled a rope while a third jumped over it in a jump rope game. 

In December of 2022, Spot was the star of a video where he helped decorate a Christmas tree just in time for the holidays. These many videos not only showcase the robot’s varied abilities but they also serve to humanize the machines making them more appealing to potential buyers.