SINGAPORE: An autonomous robot has been deployed by the Singapore police to patrol Suntec City, where the 33rd ASEAN Summit is taking place.
The robot navigates independently on a pre-mapped route, and is able to detect and avoid obstacles, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a media release on Wednesday (Nov 14).
It is equipped with cameras that can transmit a 360-degree view of the deployment area. It also has an intercom and can function as a police command post.
The robot complements the work of ground officers in looking out for suspicious activities and projecting the police’s presence, SPF says. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
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The robot complements the work of ground officers in looking out for suspicious activities and projecting the police’s presence. Police officers would be then able to focus on higher-value work, SPF said.
The prototype was designed in a collaboration between the police and industry partners. It is part of an ongoing trial to explore the potential of robotics in enhancing SPF’s operational capabilities, it added.
“This is a positive step in our efforts to build up our robotics assets that can be used in different aspects of policing such as security operations during major events, community engagement, and protective security,” the police said.
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The ASEAN Summit and related meetings are taking place at the Suntec Convention Centre until Thursday. Dignitaries attending include ASEAN leaders as well as world leaders such as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, US Vice President Mike Pence and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
