This is the moment a 60,000-pound robot dog takes a catastrophic fall down a flight of stairs and breaks apart during a failed demonstration.
MailOnline captured the dramatic event on camera during a visit to Lyons Park, Jaguar Land Rover’s battery testing facility in Coventry.
Small pieces scatter across the floor and sparks fly as the industrial helper robot, sold by US firm Boston Dynamics, struggles to get up.
Gonzalo Ejarque-Rinaldini, JLR’s technical projects manager, told MailOnline that the poor dog would need replacement parts fitted before he could walk again.
“My confidence in Boston Dynamics is as high as ever – these machines are first class,” he told MailOnline.
Just as the RMS Titanic traveled 2,000 miles before hitting that fatal iceberg, Rover had managed to accomplish several tasks admirably before its little incident.
Loose parts scatter across the floor and sparks fly as the poor robotic dog struggles to get up.
‘The perception system is quite advanced: I have full confidence in it.
“Machines go down and it’s important to be resilient.”
At Lyons Park, JLR scientists and engineers test prototype electric batteries at various pressures and temperatures before installing them in any of their test vehicles.
The dog ‘Spot’ (who JLR has renamed ‘Rover’, get it?) is tasked with patrolling the site for any issues that could spell trouble, and can alert staff by sending an email.
For example, you can detect machinery that is getting too hot using your thermal imaging camera, which could pose a fire hazard.
It can also detect smaller gas leaks that would be undetectable to humans thanks to its built-in sensors, or get close to parts of facilities that would otherwise be unsafe after an accident.
Just as the RMS Titanic traveled 2,000 miles before hitting that fatal iceberg, Rover had managed to multitask admirably during its media demonstration on Thursday before its little incident.
He patrolled the hallways with authority, walked past employees, pushed through a door and managed to get up from a prone position on the floor.
The robot dog, suitable for indoor and outdoor use, can map its environment, detect and avoid obstacles, open doors and (most of the time) successfully climb stairs.
JLR Technical Project Manager Gonzalo Ejarque-Rinaldini shows off his pet at the Lyons Park battery testing facility in Coventry
Finally, Rover climbed a small flight of stairs and carefully positioned himself for the return trip before taking the first step down.
Unfortunately, the steps JLR used for the demonstration had a gap in the middle, which had a critical effect on their stability.
Rover placed his left front paw into the gap and instantly slipped and fell.
When Rover crashed hard into the hard ground, it dislocated a limb and scattered small pieces, including a plastic cap and a miniature screw.
MailOnline even saw a small spark before backing off slightly.
The dog struggled to get up again and was eventually turned off so engineers could get a closer look at the damage.
It is unclear why Rover did not detect the gap, or if it did, why it did not register it as a hazard; MailOnline is awaiting comment from Boston Dynamics.
MailOnline spoke with Rover after its dramatic crash. JLR said it would need to order spare parts to get it running again after a limb was torn off
The Rover was shut down so JLR engineers could get a closer look at the damage, and the event had to be shortened.
Rover’s field of view is shared on a large screen as it successfully climbs the stairs (before falling off later on the return trip).
In truth, MailOnline called this an unfortunate accident, though it serves as a sobering lesson about where this type of technology stands today.
While nine times out of ten Rover could have successfully climbed the stairs, it’s really unfortunate that he failed during his big moment in the spotlight.
JLR shared an official comment: ‘We are still in training as part of our pilot programme, but it is a shame that Rover lost its balance during the demonstration.
“But as every dog has its day, we wish him a speedy recovery and hope he will rejoin the pack in the coming weeks.”
Rover prepares to open a door at the site, using his front claw where a real dog’s head would be.
It has a typical run time of 90 minutes before it needs to be recharged on its charging port, much like a puppy needs to rest in its basket.
JLR is one of many customers using Boston Dynamics’ dog, including the French military, Pompeii Archaeological Park and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Rover has been in use for around six months at JLR’s Coventry facility, alongside a second unit at another JLR site in Shannon, Ireland.
JLR plans to increase the company’s fleet to around 10 dogs that will move autonomously around the building like any other staff member.
Ejarque-Rinaldini told MailOnline: ‘Initially, when people see Rover, the reaction is: “Oh, it’s fantastic, I need to take a photo!”
“But then after a certain amount of time, when you get familiar with it, it’s just like any other tool or piece of equipment.”
