A robot dog may be suitable for routine industrial inspections if it can capture the required measurement or visual data along the actual routes through your site, and perform a task that a manual inspection round or fixed sensors cannot cover just as well. Before you buy, test it with the sensors you intend to use and plan for wireless connectivity, charging, safe stopping and the handling of recorded data.
For these teams, the key question is whether the robot can capture usable visual, thermal or acoustic data at specified measurement points and feed it into existing workflows. Route planning, data formats and charging should all be part of your decision.
If mobile inspections need to cover steps or uneven ground, check step dimensions, grating, wet conditions and wireless dead spots along the planned route. A manufacturer's claims about off-road capability are no substitute for testing it yourself.
Before deployment, they need to assess how the robot will operate in areas used by people, and how camera or audio data will be handled. The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health covers safe stopping for mobile work equipment, while the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information highlights the impact of video recording on people's rights.
Start with the inspection data you need and the routes the robot will actually take. Only once these match up can you assess whether the platform can be operated safely and without placing an unreasonable burden on your team.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Who should pay particular attention |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection data and integration | Define the measurement points, data types required and how the data will be handed over; test the proposed sensor and software configuration at those locations. | If condition data needs to feed into existing workflows, you need usable measurements rather than just recordings. Around 29% of consumers rank this data requirement as their top priority. |
| Mobility and environment | Check steps, grating, narrow spaces and wireless coverage along the planned route; test the robot with the intended sensor load. | On uneven outdoor routes or stairs, the entire route needs to be reliably accessible. Around 24% of consumers put this kind of mobility first. |
| Safe operation and data protection | Assess risks, stopping around people and the handling of camera or audio data for the specific use case. | Where people share the routes or could be captured by sensors, you need to make sure movement and data collection are safe in advance. These considerations take priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Ongoing support | Agree on training, maintenance, spare parts, software upkeep and support on a like-for-like basis. | If you don't have an in-house robotics team, you need clear responsibility for faults and ongoing maintenance. Around 18% of consumers consider this the most important aspect of day-to-day operation. |
Managing to climb a step says little about how the platform will cope with wet conditions, grating, people using the route or a loss of wireless connection over the full inspection round.
Test representative routes with the intended sensor load. Record your criteria for stopping the test, along with results for data quality, stopping, returning and charging.
Mapping the site, improving wireless coverage and running the pilot will also take time and staff resources.
Mobile sensors can capture employees and other people. The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information points out that video recordings generally interfere with people's personal rights.
Define the purpose of the inspection and what needs to be recorded. Before deployment, review access, storage and any audio or streaming functions that are not required.
Planning access rights and data deletion, and consulting the works council where necessary, are all part of the work involved in introducing the system.
Protection against dust and water does not mean a robot is approved for potentially explosive atmospheres. ANYbotics describes ANYmal X as ATEX- and IECEx-certified up to Zone 1 IIB; this does not mean it is approved for every zone or every attachment.
Check that the zone classification, substance group, temperature class and full certificates match the proposed configuration. Also confirm permitted additional sensors, charging and maintenance with the relevant specialists.
Training, installation, maintenance and support may be defined differently in each offer. Terra Robotics lists these services for a Go2W-EDU offer, while Boston Dynamics describes separate training and support services for Spot.
Ask for comparable service descriptions covering several years, with clear terms for software upkeep, spare parts, response times and responsibilities when something goes wrong.
Battery replacement, return transport and downtime can also affect the ongoing support required.
ANYbotics positions ANYmal for site inspections with integrated sensors, and ANYmal X for certain potentially explosive atmospheres.
Boston Dynamics describes Spot as a configurable platform for manual and autonomous inspection tasks.
Alongside compact development platforms, Unitree offers the B2 and B2-W, positioned for industrial terrain and inspection scenarios.
Yes. The planned use must be covered by your workplace risk assessment. The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health describes this as a key part of occupational health and safety, and says that autonomous mobile work equipment should detect people and stop safely before making contact with them. At your site, check routes, people using the area, loss of wireless connection and emergency procedures in particular.
In Germany, this can only be assessed by considering the specific purpose and legal requirements; it is not automatically permitted. The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information highlights the impact of video recording on people's rights. When processing employee data, you must also check, among other things, the conditions set out in § 26 BDSG. Before deployment, clarify what can be captured, stored and viewed.
If you have a works council and a technical system is intended to monitor employees' behaviour or performance, § 87 paragraph 1 number 6 BetrVG provides for co-determination, unless statutory or collective bargaining provisions apply. So check the planned camera, telemetry and access functions with the relevant people at an early stage.
No. A manufacturer's specifications for ingress protection or obstacles do not confirm that the robot is suitable for a particular site route. Test the proposed configuration on the intended surfaces and steps, and under the relevant conditions for wet weather, wireless coverage, sensor load and safe stopping.
It should clearly set out responsibilities and services for training, software updates, maintenance, spare parts and faults. Ask for written details of response times, on-site service, battery and charger procedures, and what happens after a fall or loss of communication.