Dubai Mall now has an extra hand on guard - this robotic officer.
(Dubai Mall patrolled by robot police officer)
The public will be able to use the robot to report crimes, get local information and even pay fines all through a touchscreen that’s built into its chest.
It’s important to note, these robots won’t be replacing human beings, instead Dubai Police see them as an extra tool that can be utilised in public spaces and tourist hotspots.
As such its first assignment will including patrolling the enormous Dubai Mall.
The robot is a modified Reem robot build by Pal Robotics. (Long time Technovelgy readers may recall the REEM-A Chess-Playing Robot from 2007.)
Fans recall the experimental robot cop from Harry Harrison's excellent 1958 story Arm of the Law:
Experimental or not, this was a nice-looking hunk of machinery. A uniform navy-blue all over, though the outlet cases, hooks and such were a metallic gold... This was as close as a robot could get to a cop in uniform, without being a joke.
Then I noticed the tiny glow of light in the robot's eye lenses...
"Get out of that box," I said.
The robot came up smooth and fast as a rocket, landing two feet in front of me and whipping out a snappy salute.
(Read more about the police experimental robot)
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