“Spot” belongs to a research project at Luleå University of Technology.

The "dog" itself is built in the USA, it is the system that is developed at LTU.

And it is a double system: "Spot" carries a small helicopter, a drone, on its back.

At a certain point, the robot stops, the drone takes off from its back and sets off into a dark tunnel to look ahead and see what obstacles there may be. 

- If it has been a mining landslide or an earthquake, we can send it to places where people do not have access, says project manager George Nikolakopoulos, professor at LTU.

Everything required is on board

The robot must have a certain artificial intelligence, as it is not possible to signal to or from an operator if the robot is underground. 

- Everything depends on the software we have built in.

It makes the robot understand its surroundings, where it is going, what it is going to do, what is around it.

Everything required is on board, says George Nikolakopoulos. 

In addition, the robot draws its own three-dimensional map of the aisles as it moves forward. 

"Spot" and the drone are also part of a competition, called the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, and there will be a final competition in September in the USA.

DARPA competitions take place approximately every 7-8 years, says George Nikolakopoulos: 

- The last time seven years ago it was about self-driving cars.

Now we can see them on the street, even buy one.

Can seek life on another planet

Another place where autonomous robots with artificial intelligence could work is on another planet.

Much like the rolling laboratories US NASA has repeatedly sent to Mars.

The latest NASA vehicle, the Perseverance, also carried its own small helicopter that flew several times in the extremely thin Mars air. 

- We try to develop the batteries so that they last longer, and produce better materials that protect the equipment from the cold on Mars.

But this is the technology of the future in planetary exploration.

I think this will be tested on another planet within four to six years, he says.

See how the robot dog Spot searches for a mine with its drone in the clip.