Rare, 4-legged robot ‘Anymal’ pays visit to St. George

Written by Stephanie DeGraw
February 14, 2023

ST. GEORGE — A robotic dog you won’t find anywhere else in the United States, the “Anymal,” made an appearance at the Dixie Convention Center for the Utah Council of Land Surveyors last Thursday.

Brady Reisch, a virtual digital reality capture specialist for Kuker-Ranken, poses with “Anymal,” a robotic dog from Switzerland at the Dixie Center, St. George, Utah, Feb. 9, 2023 | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News

“This is the only one in the U.S. from a robotic company in Switzerland,” said Brady Reisch, who serves as a virtual digital reality capture specialist for Kuker-Ranken. “This is the first generation robot in the U.S. We believe that now the U.S. market is ready for these quadrupedal robots.”

This four-legged robot is a little different from other robotics as it can crawl up and over things, Reisch said.

“Our robot is able to crawl up and over different things about 13 inches high,” he added. “So if we have stairs or piles, the robot can navigate and move around autonomously.”

Anymal utilizes thermal scanning, a spotlight camera, a wide-angle camera and an inspection system. The robot uses a high-resolution scanner from the Leica company that allows the robot to obtain high-definition laser imaging, detection and ranging, known as LIDAR scanning.

The robotic, waterproof dog also has a low-resolution customized LIDAR system, allowing it to navigate different objects.

Firms like civil engineering, architecture, construction and manufacturing are investing in reality capture technologies. Kuker-Ranken services architects, engineers, surveyors, public safety and contractors with software, hardware, workflow or operational needs.

And with Anymal, Reisch said employees within these fields could use the robot to save time and help reduce dangerous conditions. For example, after blasting operations in a mine, a wait time of 72 hours is generally needed before humans can enter to evaluate the next step.

“What this eliminates now by using a robot like the Anymal is that we can now enter within that 72-hour time frame because we’re not putting humans at risk, Reisch said. “And now they can make their assessment while they can enter the area at the same time.”

Another way this robot can be helpful is in a nuclear facility. Reisch said the robot could be sent in if there is a nuclear meltdown. Then when it’s finished accessing the situation, the robot can be brought back out and decontaminated.

Robot displayed by the Kuker-Ranken company at the Dixie Center, St. George, Utah | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News

Additionally, the robot could limit danger when a large culvert has problems. Reisch said usually, a person is sent in to access it and has to crawl through the pipe in a confined area.

“It’s very dangerous for them to find out why it collapsed halfway down,” Reisch said. “Or if they send in the Anymal, they can change the front inspection tool out for a grabbing arm. So now you can make an assessment without sending humans into that hazardous environment to see what happened.”

The robot can also help construction companies scan current conditions. Reisch said the companies could then determine the next step to retrofit or change the layout to whatever is desired.

For the general public, Reisch said the price is determined by what type of components are ordered per robot. It’s “not cheap,” he added, and it would be a long-term investment. He said Kuker-Ranken has been in business for almost 100 years, servicing architectural and other companies as a supplier and a reseller of these different products. Their booth also featured robotic drones.

Anymal could also be used to patrol a home or property for personal use, Reisch said, adding that it could be a deterrent, like a security guard, if someone was casing a place and saw that it had the Anymal.

“If you want to get into the technology, there are other options with a lower price tag,” Reisch said. “But there’s going to be different pieces of it that you have to understand. Reach out and talk to us. We will tell you about stuff that we may not sell; we want to set you up with what you want.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie DeGraw is an award-winning journalist. For 25 years, she engaged in journalism, broadcasting and public relations. DeGraw worked for the Salt Lake Tribune, Associated Press and The City Journals. She was a reporter for a CBS television station in Twin Falls, Idaho. She graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Broadcasting.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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