The New York Police Department is rolling out its own version of “Robocop” using technology from Boston Dynamics, according to footage from April 2023.
The idea of robots patrolling the streets of New York City is not new. It dates back to 2021 under Mayor Bill deBlasio, but the idea was quickly shut down due to complaints, mainly from civil rights groups.
However, under Mayor Eric Adams, himself a former NYPD captain and self-proclaimed “computer geek,” the idea was revived and unveiled on April 12, Arc Technica reported.
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Adams, in an effort to deliver on his campaign pledge to reduce crime, the robots, which are usually used for bomb-related missions, will be remote controled and be semi-autonomous with only one person required to operate a fleet of robots.
“If we were not willing to move forward and use technology on how to properly keep cities safe, then you will not keep up with those doing harmful things,” Adams said.
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The NYPD intends to use a Knightscope K5 robot for active patrol, Arc Technica reported. This is a 400-pound, 5-foot-tall wheeled robot that resembles a real-life R2-D2. The egg-shaped robot has no appendages and consists primarily of sensors. It is equipped with a 360-degree video system, thermal camera, LiDAR, sonar, GPS, 16 microphones, and speakers to play pre-recorded or live messages. It can autonomously patrol an area, detect people, recognize license plates, and has facial recognition, although the NYPD claims it will not be used. Because it is a wheeled robot, it can only enter ADA-compliant locations via ramps.
The K5 is marketed as an “autonomous security robot” and was first demonstrated in 2014. K5 units have made headlines for a variety of reasons, including driving into a pond and running over children. New York City is renting the robot for six months at $9 an hour. According to NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, the robot will be deployed this upcoming July as a “pilot program” to police Times Square or the subway station. The robot will be accompanied by a human.
Another robocop idea is the same as the last: deploying Boston Dynamics’ “Spot” robot dog, which the NYPD dubbed “Digidog.” Spot is a $75,000 robot (without attachments) that can patrol a predetermined path, follow a person, and move up and down stairs automatically. Because the robot is designed for industrial remote monitoring and inspection, it has extensive remote-control and recording capabilities. The NYPD outfitted Spot with the Spot Cam+ in 2021, which contains a pan-tilt-zoom camera with a 30x optical zoom and a second 360-degree camera.
