Meet Sparkles! Boston Dynamics' robot dog, Spot, wears a blue sparkly pooch costume as it performs an impressive dance routine - but terrified viewers claim the outfit 'just adds fuel for nightmares'

At first glance at this video, you'd be forgiven for mistaking it as a clip from the latest children's cartoon. 

But the footage is very much real, and features a real-life robot. 

Boston Dynamics' robot dog, Spot, can be seen wearing a blue, sparkly dog costume as it performs an impressive dance routine. 

'Spot is meeting another strange dog and making friends through the power of dance. Meet Sparkles!' Boston Dynamics said. 

The video has received a mixed reception on social media, with one sceptic commenting that, rather than being cute, the costume 'adds fuel for nightmares.'

At first glance at this video, you'd be forgiven for mistaking it as a clip from the latest children's cartoon. But the footage is very much real, and features a real-life robot

Boston Dynamics posted the video to its YouTube channel in celebration of International Dance Day earlier this week. 

It features two of the tech giant's robot dogs, Spots, meeting with one another, before sharing a kiss and breaking out into dance. 

While the black and yellow robot on the right is instantly recognisable as Spot, the bot on the left is decked out in a blue, sparkly dog costume.

'Sparkles is a custom costume designed just for Spot to explore the intersections of robotics, art, and entertainment,' Boston Dynamics explained in the caption. 

Several fans have flocked to the comments to express their delight at the new video. 

'Boston Dynamics is just flexing at this point and I'm all here for it!' one user wrote. 

Boston Dynamics posted the video to its YouTube channel in celebration of International Dance Day earlier this week. It features two of the tech giant's robot dogs, Spots, meeting with one another

The pair share a kiss before breaking out into dance. While the black and yellow robot on the right is instantly recognisable as Spot, the bot on the left is decked out in a blue, sparkly dog costume

READ MORE: Boston Dynamics' $75,000 robot dogs join the New York Fire Department to help with search and rescue missions 

Another added: 'Seriously though, Spot's mobility is REALLY impressive! The Sparkles coat looks like a blue Sprocket (Fraggle Rock).'

And one posted: 'Imagine this being implemented at theme parks like Disney, seeing Pluto walk on all fours instead of 2 all on his own and looking like a real dog. 

'It'd be a bit freaky yeah, but also so darn cool and immersive!'

However, it seems that others were less enamoured. 

'Everybody wants to pet the dog until its neck extends 4 feet,' one user joked. 

Another added: 'As if it weren't frightening enough to imagine a post-apocalyptic world where a robot dog, equipped with a chainsaw, hunts you down as you huddle for warmth under the floorboards of your shack. 

'Now instead of cold plastic and steel, you're greeted with the face of sparkles brandishing the same chainsaw. My god.'

And one wrote: 'Uncanny valley... But dogs!'

The new video comes shortly after Boston Dynamics debuted its new Atlas 2.0 robot, after retiring its legendary predecessor, Atlas. 

This new version boasts joints that let the machine bend and move in ways that the human body can't - unlike the original, rigid Atlas that was famous for dancing and doing parkour.

The company also plans to sell the latest humanoid robot, but the price has yet to be disclosed, and it is set to begin its first job at Hyundai's factories next year.