Chinese robocop goes on street patrol for the first time: it resembles BB-8 from Star Wars and has non-lethal weapons (video)

This is not how we imagined a police robot, but it has already happened: the Rotunbot RT-G robot, created by the Chinese company Logon Technology, went on its first patrol in the city of Wenzhou. It has a spherical shape and large rubber tyres that allow it to overcome obstacles and even move through water. It can also use non-lethal weapons, such as throwing out a net and spraying tear gas to attack offenders.

What we know about Rotunbot RT-G

The robot was created by Logon (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd, which was founded on 12 December 2017 (two years after the release of Star Wars Episode 7, which featured the spherical robot BB-8). The company's main product is the intelligent spherical robot Rotunbot RT-G, which has high requirements for professional use - overcoming obstacles, the ability to withstand close-range attacks without losing functionality, patrolling, incident response and even "fighting criminals" (although it is not a true "robocop" and cannot be used autonomously, at least not yet).

It weighs 275 pounds (124 kilograms) and is capable of reaching 35 kilometres per hour in two seconds and withstanding impacts of up to 4 tonnes. The Rotunbot RT-G is equipped with AI cameras that allow it to recognise the faces of known criminals and detect suspicious behaviour. If necessary, the robot can pursue offenders using a built-in net to immobilise them (in theory, as its effectiveness is questionable).

Prospects for application

So far, it all looks like an experiment - the video shows the robot patrolling the streets of the city together with police officers, but, given the policeman with a laptop walking alongside, it is still far from being a real robot and has the character of experimental tests. Nevertheless, the robot is attracting attention on the streets, and the story shows China as a country that develops and uses the most advanced products, including in the field of public security.

Source: CCTV Video News Agency