Robot dogs have unnerved and angered the public. So why is this artist teaching them to paint?

The artist is completely focused, a black oil crayon in her hand as she repeatedly draws a small circle on a vibrant teal canvas. She is unbothered by the three people closely observing her every movement, and doesn't seem to register my entrance into this bright white room inside the National Gallery of Victoria. The artist is a robot; more specifically, Basia is a 30kg "Spot" robot dog designed by Boston Dynamics. You've likely seen videos of these dogs opening doors, climbing stairs and decorating Christmas trees, while performing eerily fluid actions that cause people to write comments like, "Can't wait to have a pack of these chase me through a post-apocalyptic urban hellscape!" The robots are designed to perform tasks that are dangerous for humans: they tend to be bought by mining and construction corporations, as well as police and the military.