Orbit 5.0 adds features to Boston Dynamics’ Spot quadruped robot

Orbit 5.0 for the Spot quadruped uses AI to provide more insights into site health. Source: Boston Dynamics

The Spot robot is already conducting inspections in numerous facilities, and Boston Dynamics Inc. today announced the latest version of its software, enabling the quadruped to collect more actionable data. Orbit 5.0 allows operators to detect problems earlier, manage robots across multiple sites, and gain visual context over time, said the Waltham, Mass.-based company.

Conventional facility inspections involve time-consuming visual inspections by staffers often equipped with clipboards, noted Boston Dynamics. Automation allows operators to monitor indicator lights, corrosion, and debris with greater consistency and visibility into historical data, it added.

Orbit 5.0 enables “a shift from reactive problem-solving to informed, proactive operations,” asserted Boston Dynamics. Spot is already at work at customers such as BMW.

Last month, parent company Hyundai Motor Group committed to purchasing “tens of thousands” of Boston Dynamics robots. Last week, DHL said it plans to deploy more than 1,000 Stretch container-unloading robots.

Boston Dynamics was recently recognized with a 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for the electric version of its Atlas humanoid. Its chief technology officer, Aaron Saunders, delivered a keynote at the Robotics Summit & Expo.

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Orbit 5.0 brings AI to the factory floor

Orbit 5.0 applies artificial intelligence to automatically detect visual anomalies such as debris, spills, or corrosion — without manual image review. Boston Dynamics noted that users can get alerts of changes and search past inspections for historical context.

“Now, Spot can autonomously patrol your facility and snap images at points of interest,” wrote the company in a blog post. “Then, Orbit analyzes them using pre-programmed vision-language prompts. Instantly flag safety issues like spills or missing fire extinguishers, check pallet status, monitor equipment wear and tear, and more.”

With AI, the software can respond to queries for yes/no answers, numeric readings, percentages, or descriptive text, said Boston Dynamics.

Site View provides a visual history

With panoramic image capture, Orbit 5.0 allows users to review site conditions over time, compare changes, or investigate events with confidence, said Boston Dynamics. It contrasted this with the challenges of building and maintaining accurate digital twins.

Site View uses 360° images captured by Spot for remote monitoring, review of past states, and remote plant walk-throughs. In addition, Spot missions can be converted into Site View missions to build a visual catalog, and users can create new inspections directly from Site View imagery.

“Site View is the fastest way to digitalize your facility — simple, scalable, and always up-to-date,” Boston Dynamics claimed.

Orbit 5.0 enables Spot operators to conduct remote walkthroughs. Source: Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics offers scale, security for robot fleets

Instead of requiring multiple logins or switches between URLs, Orbit 5.0 can now manage Spot robots across facilities with a centralized, enterprise-scale view. It includes dashboards that aggregate data on robot activity, site performance, and fleet health.

Orbit also includes automated face blurring to protect privacy. It detects and obscures faces captured by Spot Cam+IR, including both PTZ and Site View formats, said Boston Dynamics.

In addition, the company has added flexible user permissions, allowing for customized access levels based on each user’s role or responsibilities.

With Orbit 5.0 and later versions, Spot can get over-the-air updates, Boston Dynamics explained. The Orbit Virtual Machine offers users the flexibility to deploy the software in the cloud or on premise.

Orbit 5.0 provides historical inspection data and analysis. Source: Boston Dynamics

Orbit, Spot features designed for easy integration

Boston Dynamics said that Orbit can be integrated with third-party systems through application programming interfaces (APIs) and webhooks. The latest version includes a low-code option for automated generation of work orders that is available to beta users.

Orbit 5.0 supports dynamic thresholding for thermal inspections, automatically flagging anomalous temperature readings, said Boston Dynamics It can perform statistical analysis across multiple samples to set minimum and maximum thresholds to reduce reliance on domain experts to define safe operating ranges for industrial equipment, it noted.

The company said that Orbit 5.0 streamlines the inspection process, requires less manual setup, and can help catch problems earlier.

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