Schaft Timeline

Events

• 2018-11-14 - Org Change - Alphabet confirms closure of Schaft robotics unit - Alphabet confirmed on November 14, 2018 that the Schaft unit would be shuttered. The company was helping affected staff seek new roles, mostly outside Alphabet. Schaft remained Alphabet-owned because the previously announced SoftBank transfer never completed. - source: techcrunch.com
• 2017-06-09 - Acquisition - SoftBank agrees to acquire Schaft from Alphabet - SoftBank announced an agreement to acquire Schaft from Alphabet on June 9, 2017. The proposed transaction remained subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Later reporting confirmed the Schaft transfer failed because agreed… - source: group.softbank
• 2016-04-08 - Demonstration - Schaft demonstrates compact biped carrying 60-kilogram payload - Schaft's unnamed compact biped climbed stairs and carried payloads up to 60 kilograms. The robot maintained balance on a pipe and traversed rocks, snow, and slippery terrain. Alphabet's X described the appearance as technical progress, not a product-roadmap… - source: spectrum.ieee.org
• 2014-04-08 - Acquisition - DARPA confirms Google acquisition of Schaft - DARPA's April 8 update confirmed that Google had recently acquired Schaft. The exact acquisition closing date and transaction value were not publicly disclosed. Schaft simultaneously moved from DARPA-funded Track A to the self-funded Track D. - source: spectrum.ieee.org
• 2013-12-21 - Award - Schaft S-One finishes first in DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials - S-One finished first after the two-day DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials concluded. Eight physical tasks tested robot hardware, software, mobility, manipulation, dexterity, perception, and control. DARPA recorded Schaft as the trials' highest-scoring team… - source: esd.whs.mil