Frightening Robot Police Dog Tested
Law Enforcement Agencies in America might soon have a new weapon in the form of a robot police dog described as terrifying by critics, prompting many questions.
The highly advanced Spot Robot Dog developed by tech company Boston Dynamics is capable of opening doors and navigating obstacles.
The American Civil Liberties Union made a public record request to the company when Massachusetts State Police published a video demonstration of the robot’s skills.
It’s believed these robot dogs have already been used in live incidents.
The ACLU has requested transparency from government agencies warning them to be upfront with the public about their plans to test and develop new technologies.
“All too often, the deployment of these technologies happens faster than our social, political, or legal systems react,” the ACLU said in a statement shared with TechCrunch.
“Right now, our primary interest is sending the robot into situations where you want to collect information in an environment where it’s too dangerous to send a person, but not actually physically interacting with the space,” the spokesperson said.
The lease agreement between Boston Dynamics and the police reportedly includes the condition that it is not used to “physically harm or intimidate people”.
Boston Dynamics announced earlier this year that it would begin selling the canine-inspired machines at some point in 2019, though with no date or price provided.
The product page for the Spot describes it as a “nimble robot” capable of operating autonomously and travelling for up to 90 minutes at a time.
Promotional materials for the Spot robots show them being used in a variety of roles and environments, ranging from assistants at construction sites, to remote security guards.
“There’s a remarkable number of construction companies we’re talking to,” Boston Dynamics chief executive Marc Raibert said at the time.
The robots are frequently described as “creepy” and “terrifying”, though Mr Raibert claims they’re misrepresented.
In a recent demonstration of the technology, he said it “really bothers me” when they are referred to in this way.
