New York Mayor Eric Adamsand the City Police Department (NYPD) presented this Tuesday various robots that will help agents keep the Big Apple safeincluding Digidog, a police dog robot that was removed by the previous mayor due to criticism.
“Today, we are announcing three new police technologies in New York City: the K5 autonomous security robot, the Digidog robot and the StarChase GPS accessory”Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell announced at a Times Square news conference.
The city has bought two Digidogs with various accessories –like a gas detector– for $750,000 and will lease the other two technologies for a pilot test starting this summer for $1,750 a month.
“I look for the best for the city. And the three (tools) that we are launching today are just the beginning,” the mayor and former police officer, who declared himself a great fan of technology, told the media.
The K5 robot is equipped with several cameras, sensors and artificial intelligencewhich allows you to provide real-time information to agents.
This technology has been used in various areas of the US and has helped, among other things, with shootings in shopping malls.
According to the NYPD, after six months of testing, the robot will patrol both for Times Square and its subway stations.
The StarChase system works by attaching a GPS suction cup – either manually or by launching it from a vehicle – to a fleeing vehicle and the tool allows to track the vehicle in real time.
This technology will allow NYPD officers to remotely follow a car, thus avoiding a vehicle chase through the streets of New York.
For their part, the Digidogs -as they already passed the pilot test at the time- will be incorporated directly into the NYPD.
This yellow robot made by Boston Dynamics was so criticized by various civil rights advocates that the previous administration – led by Bill de Blasio– stopped using it and was turned over to the fire department.
Adams pointed out that if a person has a loved one who has been kidnapped, they will appreciate that this machine, which walks on all fours and has a claw with a camera where a dog’s head would normally be, be among the patrol.
NYPD highlighted that none of these tools have facial recognition.
