The case is unsurprising, considering that all the robots look almost the same, and Spot, which debuted in 2019, was definitely the first. Ghost Robotics released its first model, the Spirit 40, in 2020. The next iteration of the Vision 60 robot made headlines when the company fitted it with a sniper rifle.

Ghost Robots robot with rifle attached / Photo: Ghost Robots

Boston Dynamics asked Ghost Robotics to first review its robot patents in 2020 – just months after the Spirit 40’s launch – and has sent cease and desist letters multiple times since then. Ghost Robotics apparently couldn’t stop and now Boston Dynamics wants to sue them.

We are not commenting on the details of the pending litigation. We welcome competition in the emerging mobile robotics market, but we expect all companies to respect intellectual property rights and will take action when these rights are violated.
– said the Boston Dynamics representative

The market may change

Litigation was inevitable, as robo-dogs looked almost the same. But while Boston Dynamics has become a major player in the market, it’s still relatively young, like most of the robotics industry. There is an opportunity to set a precedent here, and the outcome of this case may well determine whether Boston Dynamics’ dominance in the robot market will be further strengthened or whether it will have to give up significant market share to its fast-growing competitors.