SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submission Preview
Singapore Releases the Robot Hounds to Enforce Social Distancing in Parks
████ # This file was generated bot-o-matically! Edit at your own risk. ████
Singapore releases the robot hounds to enforce social distancing in parks [theregister.co.uk]:
Singapore is trialing robot dogs to enforce social distancing in its parks, to assist the national coronavirus-control effort.
As outlined [tech.gov.sg] by GovTech Singapore, the nation’s digital advancement agency, the beast is a Boston Dynamics Spot [bostondynamics.com] device that’s been programmed to roam a 3km stretch in the River Plains section of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park during off-peak hours.
“A recorded message will be broadcast from SPOT to remind park visitors to observe safe distancing measures. SPOT will also be fitted with cameras – enabled with GovTech-developed video analytics – to estimate the number of visitors in parks,” the agency says.
Govtech promises the cameras “will not be able to track and/or recognise specific individuals, and no personal data will be collected.”
Youtube Video [youtu.be]
Spot’s controlled remotely, which means Singaporean park staff don’t need to go out into virus-exposed meatspace to do their jobs and also don’t interact with those braving the open air.
The video above shows that Spot certainly keeps people a safe distance apart: they first seem to be creeped out by the bot, then retreat from it to take a photo.
The agency also says it chose Spot because it can navigate varied terrain, meaning the robo-cop-dog won’t just wander park paths but could also walk over a hill or climb stairs in its quest to find humans to warn.
Just received the most Singaporean pandemic content from a mate based in the little red dot pic.twitter.com/vqgnQ5F4D9 [t.co]
— Soon-Tzu Speechley 孫子 (@speechleyish) May 8, 2020 [twitter.com]
Singapore’s also trialing Spot to carry medicine to patient in hospitals. ®
Bootnote: Here's a Boston Dynamics promo showing off Spot's capabilities.
Youtube Video [youtu.be]
Sponsored: Webcast: Build the next generation of your business in the public cloud [theregister.co.uk]
