Zurich-based robot maker Swiss-Mile has developed an AI-powered mobile robot that is so capable that the company has convinced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to become one of its early investors. The autonomous robot might look very similar to Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot dog; however, there’s a big difference. Swiss-Mile’s robot dog has four wheeled legs, which help it tackle the most challenging obstacles, enabling it to navigate anywhere. According to the Swiss company, the robo-dog can easily transition between driving and walking on four or two legs, reaching speeds up to 14mph.
Designed for security, monitoring, construction, and logistics applications, Swiss-Mile’s robot dog can carry tools, materials, goods, and sensors with payloads up to 60 kg (~130 lbs.). Its electrically powered wheels give it the capability to overcome obstacles with speed and efficiency, adding to its versatility. “The hypothesis was: If we integrate wheels into a walking robot, we get the best of both worlds,” said Marko Bjelonic, founder and CEO of Swiss-Mile. “Compared to a walking robot without wheels, we get a tenfold improvement in speed, efficiency and range.”
The robot dog uses neural networks and artificial intelligence to operate autonomously. It learns basic movement sequences itself and doesn’t have to rely on codes written by the company’s engineers. “Sometimes the robot finds solutions that surprise us,” explained Bjelonic. Swiss-Mile was incorporated in April 2023.
According to German business daily Handelsblatt, the company is set to raise about $20 million from investors, including Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, Bezos Expeditions, and HongShan (formerly Sequoia Capital China). With Bezos becoming an early investor, will we soon see Swiss-Mile’s wheeled-legged robot dogs onboard his $500 million megayacht, Koru? Or perhaps on your doorstep with a Prime package? Maybe, who knows!
