The City of New York filed on Tuesday, April 11, several crime fighting robots designed to help human police.
This is actually the city’s second attempt to incorporate robot cops into its police department, after public outcry halted similar efforts two years ago.
This time, using asset forfeiture funds, the NYPD spent $750,000 on two Digidogs. Created by Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics, the four-legged robot, also known as Spot, is incredibly versatile and can work autonomously or semi-autonomously.
Digidogs may be deployed in situations deemed too dangerous for human officers. For example, in the event of a bomb threat, a Digidog with a camera can zoom in on the scene and provide live footage that can be useful in formulating a plan of action.
The NYPD will also be testing a 5-foot-tall K5 autonomous security robot that will patrol the Times Square subway station starting this summer.
Created by California-based Knightscope, the K5 looks a bit like its big brother, the R2-D2, or even a rocket fairing. It is equipped with a 360-degree camera and multiple microphones to monitor the environment for signs of suspicious behavior.
The NYPD is spending $12,250 to deploy a K5 that will work alongside a human officer. But don’t expect the robot to chase fleeing suspects, as its top speed is only 3 miles per hour and it can’t climb stairs.
Authorities said none of the new NYPD police recruits will use facial recognition technology or carry any weapons.
“If we are not willing to step up and use technology to properly secure cities, then we will not be able to keep up with those who are doing harmful things to hurt New York,” Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday at a news conference. introduce robots.
But not everyone is happy with the city’s decision to enlist police assistance in the form of robots. Communities united for police reform, for example, have said, “We need to invest in housing, education, mental health care, and community programs that keep us safe, rather than invest in expensive new technology to further criminalize us.”
Albert Fox Kahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, is also concerned about the use of robots, saying in a statement, “The NYPD is turning bad sci-fi into terrible policing. New York deserves real security, not a makeshift robocop.”
The big question now is whether New Yorkers will accept the presence of robots this time around after their brief deployment in 2021.
Source: Digital Trends
I am Garth Carter and I work at Gadget Onus. I have specialized in writing for the Hot News section, focusing on topics that are trending and highly relevant to readers. My passion is to present news stories accurately, in an engaging manner that captures the attention of my audience.
