I spent $4,000 on a robot dog from China

Unitree might be the world’s most important robotics company.

The short version

• On a sunny morning in June, I walked to work with a quadruped robot beside me.
• I’ve never gotten more attention from strangers.
• A bunch of people snapped pictures of my robot dog.

What happened

Was it mine? (Yes.) Did I build it? (No.) Was it being used for surveillance? (No.) Biological dogs kept a safe distance from my mechanical companion. I paused and had it do tricks for several of them: “shake hands,” do a handstand, or leap into the air.

Why it matters

I live in a leafy Washington, DC, neighborhood called Mount Pleasant.

Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.