Boston Dynamics, the Massachusetts robotics company known for its four-legged robots and humanoids, is undergoing a leadership change.
Robert Playter announced in an internal memo Tuesday that he will step down as the company’s CEO, as first reported by A3. Amanda McMaster, the company’s chief financial officer, will fill the top role while the company searches for a replacement.
TechCrunch asked Boston Dynamics for more information.
Playter took the helm at Boston Dynamics in 2020, taking over from founder Marc Raibert. Playter worked at Boston Dynamics for 30 years, holding other roles including vice president of engineering and chief operating officer.
Boston Dynamics was founded in 1992 by Raibert as a spinoff from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a professor. Google parent Alphabet bought Boston Dynamics in 2013 before the company was sold to Japanese investment conglomerate SoftBank in 2017.
Hyundai, its current owner, acquired the company in 2021.
The robotics producer is best known for its four-legged Spot robot, which the company commercialized in 2020 shortly after Playter took the helm. The company recently announced Atlas, a humanoid robot.
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