+- Cricket Windies (https://cricketwindies.com)
+-- Forum: What’s on Your Mind? (https://cricketwindies.com/forum-3.html)
+--- Forum: The Water Cooler! (https://cricketwindies.com/forum-4.html)
+--- Thread: Google buys 8 robotics companies in 6 months: Why? (/thread-14896.html)
Google buys 8 robotics companies in 6 months: Why? - chairman - 12-16-2013
Google's (GOOG) acquisition of military robotics maker Boston Dynamics has certainly gotten tongues wagging but has left one key question unanswered: Why?
Re: Google buys 8 robotics companies in 6 months: Why? - chairman - 12-16-2013
Media reports about the deal didn't provide much insight other than to note that Boston Dynamics makes cool stuff. The search engine giant has named Andy Rubin, who oversaw the development of the Android operating system, to head its robotics endeavors, which the company has without irony called a "moonshot." A spokesman for Google confirmed the acquisition but declined to answer any questions.
Re: Google buys 8 robotics companies in 6 months: Why? - chairman - 12-16-2013
"The deal is also the clearest indication yet that Google is intent on building a new class of autonomous systems that might do anything from warehouse work to package delivery and even elder care," according to the New York Times.
Google, which has a market capitalization topping $357 billion, probably didn't break a sweat buying Boston Dynamics, which is based in the Boston suburb of Waltham, or the seven other robotics companies it has acquired in the past six months. The company has been making a splash with its robotics research for a while. It has been testing driverless cars since 2010 and according to its research, these vehicles were operated more safely with computer drivers than human ones. Google reportedly is in regular contact with automakers about its work in this area.
Re: Google buys 8 robotics companies in 6 months: Why? - chairman - 12-16-2013
google preparing the company for the long term future
Re: Google buys 8 robotics companies in 6 months: Why? - Astdua - 12-18-2013
It's actually quite scary to think how much Google is doing in so many fields. I noticed this myself, when you look at their latest mergers it's Robotics, Robotics, Robotics... They are planning on doing some next-level stuff like real androids and A.I probably. Add self-driving cars, Google class, quantum computing, and they could truly be one of the fore-leaders of next-level technological advancement.