He doesn’t get tired, he doesn’t get paid, he doesn’t need assistance. He’s the perfect cop. If it seems like a dystopia, know that we are in reality: Robocop exists.
In Dubai, a robotic policeman who can help identify wanted people and gather evidence has joined the police force, Reuters reports. Robocop, according to the government program of the UAE administration, will patrol the busy areas of the city.
If the experiment is successful, the police plans to supplement its police force with additional specimens, up to 25% of the patrol force by 2030.
Covered in the colors of the Dubai Police uniform, the life-size robot, which can shake hands and salute, is part of a government technology and security plan ahead of Expo 2020.
“This type of robot can work 24/7. It doesn’t ask for time off, it doesn’t take sick leave or maternity leave. It can work around the clock,” said Brigadier Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, director general of the Dubai Police Intelligence Services Department. The robot, among other things, is equipped with cameras and facial recognition software – it can compare faces with a police database and mark matches with HQ. It can read vehicle registration plates and its video feed can help police screen for risks such as unattended baggage.
People can also talk to the robot to report a crime or communicate with it using a touch screen computer embedded in its torso. The robot, the cost of which has not been disclosed, was built by PAL Robotics of Barcelona and programmed by the Dubai police.
“Most people aren’t nervous about talking to a robot, and some even seem to prefer it,” Razooqi said. He added: “Now we see the new generation using smart devices: they love to use these kinds of tools. A lot of them saw the Robocop movie and said, guys, you did it.”
