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Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Some robots were made to be your best friend. Some to unload 1600 boxes an hour. Some to do backflips, paint masterpieces. Some to inspect crime scenes. Others will tell you to quit smoking in prohibited areas and stop riding your motorbike on the footpath.
Singapore has started testing patrol robots that survey pedestrian areas in the city-state, where surveillance is a top and often controversial priority.
Named Xavier, the mall-cop robots will be autonomously rolling through the Toa Payoh Central district for three weeks from Sept. 5, scanning for "undesirable social behaviours" according to a press release (via Engadget) from the government's Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX).
[...] The "undesirable social behaviours" Xavier will be on the lookout for include congregation of more than five people (as per the government's COVID-19 measures), smoking in prohibited areas, illegal hawking, improperly parked bicycles within the Housing and Development Board's Hub, and riding motorised active mobility devices and motorcycles on footpaths.
If you're partaking in any of these activities while a Xavier rolls past, the robot will alert the project's command centre and display a message corresponding to your offence.
[...] Security robots are an unsettling and impending reality across the globe, including the U.S. where companies like Knightscope have been offering up their K5 security robots for years (yes, it's the company whose robot drowned itself; yes, the robot humans built an actual shrine for). As recently as 2020, Spot the robot dog from Boston Dynamics was used by NYPD at a crime scene. China has had police robots for years, equipped with facial recognition software.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday September 08 2021, @09:03AM (3 children)
How? Looks at the image. The little robot looks like some kind of R2D2-reject or Dalek-wannabe and doesn't even have arms. So unless George somehow drops to the ground and Xavier can run him over a few times and then stop with his big wheel on his throat I don't see that happening. It looks more like some kind of rolling advertisement with that big screen in the center. It's not exactly Robocop (or even ED-209). That said I would laugh if someone hacked Xavier and make him go around spouting quotes from Robocop -- Dead or Alive you are coming with me!
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday September 08 2021, @10:16AM (2 children)
Yeah, sure, but you're looking at Prototype 5. Wait for Model 11.5 with all the optional attachments, including laser, mini gun, facial recognition, voice recognition, retina scan, and the Chauvin knees.
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday September 08 2021, @03:25PM
Seems like if one can so easily picture this one could also easily arrive at the conclusion that US law enforcement procedures need updating with emphasis on reducing violence.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Wednesday September 08 2021, @09:45PM
Don't forget the extra camera [youtu.be]! That should be a deterrent, at least for some people.