Their robots may look like they are unstable, and they may not be aesthetically pleasing, but Boston Dynamics has become the bar when it comes to innovation and engineering and is a pioneer in advanced robotics. On Friday, Google purchased the robot maker and their purchase marks the eighth robot making company that Google has acquired in the last year.

While there has been no firm word from Google at what they intend to do with all of these robot companies, Boston Dynamics’ acquisition fuels the rumors that Google is working on building a new class of autonomous systems. Last month Google announced their robots division was being led by Andy Rubin, the executive who created the Android operating system.

Rubin isn’t talking about what types of products may come from Google’s robotics project. He did say that he didn’t think that the initial product development would go on for several years. That means we could have an indication of what Google is planning and their first wave or consumer robotics within the next few years.

Boston Dynamics is known for pushing the limits of robotics both on and off road. Their Cheetah robot can move at an astonishing 29 mph, while the BigDog robot is amazingly agile over rough terrain, including snow and ice. Plus, they are large contracts from the likes of DARPA to conduct advanced robotic research. I wonder what Boston Dynamics will do with the funds Google can now provide it.

[via The New York Times]