‘Spot’ The Robot Dog Has Been Employed By The Police
Video screenshot via Boston Dynamics
Spot, the robot dog developed by Boston Dynamics, isn’t like the evil android canines featured in Black Mirror, as similar as they look. It has joined the police force and is actually forbidden from hurting anybody.
Two months ago, Boston Dynamics made Spot available to purchase, though it doesn’t come cheap. It is believed that one robot dog might be as pricey as a luxury car, but that’s because Spot is built for businesses in industrial environments rather than the general public.
One of Spot’s first owners outside of Boston Dynamics is the Massachusetts State Police, which enlisted a number of canine robots between August and early November, according to Boston radio station WBUR.
Spot was employed by the police’s Bomb Squad for “remote inspection of potentially dangerous environments which may contain suspects and ordinances,” and footage released by the Massachusetts State Police shows the android opening doors and running surveillance.
To assuage your fears that Spot might go rogue, Boston Dynamics says its contracts with early adopters dictate that the robots cannot be used to “physically harm anybody.” Should the agreements be breached, Boston Dynamics has the right to terminate their dealings.
During its stint at the force, the K9 was enlisted in two unspecified “incidents.” Michael Perry, VP of business development at Boston Dynamics, also told WBUR that the Massachusetts State Police is currently its only law enforcement partner.
[via Business Insider, images via various sources]
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