New | Meet China’s RoboCop: the robot police officer who doesn’t tire – or second-guess commands
Defence researchers have developed AnBot, a robot that can seize suspects and deliver shocks, but a human-rights watcher has expressed concern over potential government abuse
China is developing a robotic security officer that can sniff out bombs, grab suspects with a mechanical clamp and deliver a jolt of electricity to neutralise threats.
The military researchers behind the project say it will start patrolling public areas such as banks, airports and schools, although a human-rights watcher has questioned whether the robot and its ability to carry out commands with no questions asked will be abused by the authorities.
“AnBot” has been in the works at the National University of Defence Technology in Changsha, southern Hunan province, and a prototype was finally unveiled to the public at a hi-tech expo in Chongqing last month.
We are very, very interested in AnBot
“We are very, very interested in AnBot,” said a senior official with the China Security Association, a trade umbrella organisation run by the Ministry of Public Security.
“It is difficult to gauge the size of the market for police robots at this early stage, but it could easily exceed 10 billion yuan [HK$11.97 billion], given the demand I know of,” said the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.
The price of AnBot remained unclear, but if the manufacturers could bring it below 100,000 yuan per unit, “it will sell big”, the official said.
