Current:Home > NewsCharles Langston:Robots taking on tasks from mundane to dangerous: Police robot dog shot by suspect -ProsperityStream Academy
Charles Langston:Robots taking on tasks from mundane to dangerous: Police robot dog shot by suspect
Fastexy Exchange View
Date:2025-04-09 23:41:55
A police robot dog was shot for the first time this month,Charles Langston the latest sign that the robots are taking bullets and tasks from the mundane to the dangerous.
The Massachusetts State Police recently deployed a Spot robot on March 6 during a seven-hour standoff. The department sent the dog into a home with an armed 30-year-old man who moments earlier had allegedly held his mom at knifepoint. The suspect would shoot the robot three times, partially disabling it, the Barnstable Police Department in Hyannis said in a Facebook post.
State police said deploying "Roscoe," the name given to the Spot robot used in the standoff, may have saved officers' and real dogs' lives during the incident.
"In addition to providing critically important room clearance and situational awareness capabilities, the insertion of Roscoe into the suspect residence prevented the need, at that stage of response, from inserting human operators and a real dog, and may have prevented a police officer or K9 from being involved in an exchange of gunfire," according to the Massachusetts State Police's social media post.
SWAT took the suspect into custody without injury after using a "specialty ballistic vehicle with an attached demolition tool" to "forcibly encourage" the suspect to exit the home, Barnstable police said in its Facebook post. The suspect was subsequently charged with several counts of attempted murder and additional firearm offenses, the social media post continued.
A Spot robot had never been shot before this incident, Boston Dynamics told WBZ-TV.
"We are relieved that the only casualty that day was our robot," the company said.
Spot robots becoming a go-to for law enforcement nationwide
Outfitted in NYPD's blue and white colors, Digidogs have been employed in the city since 2023 to help "deescalate" situations, according to Mayor Eric Adams, WNBC reported. Law enforcement in Florida, Los Angeles and other states have been able to use the cybernetic hounds similarly.
- Spot was deployed in Los Angeles during a standoff involving a suspect who dropped his gun, Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and government relations at Boston Dynamics, said. The robot relayed footage of the discarded gun to officers on the scene, and police were able to apprehend the suspect, he said.
- The kidnapping of a 3 year old in St. Petersburg, Florida prompted local police to use Spot. When the truck containing the child drove away and crashed on the highway, police deployed the robot to approach the vehicle before officers did to ensure the suspect did not have a gun, according to Schulman.
Boston Dynamics does not disclose the exact price of Spot due to the robots varying in cost on a case-by-case basis, according to Schulman. The company's policy is strict in outlining what buyers can and cannot use the robots for, he added.
“We've been very proactive from the beginning of our commercial sales process to prohibit the weaponization of Spot or the use of the robot to harm or intimidate any person or animal,” Schulman said.
A Massachusetts bill backed primarily by Democrats, including state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, was filed in 2023 and aims at prohibiting robot manufacturers from equipping or including weapons in their machines. In November, Schulman testified in support of the bill.
Other dystopian-like robots offered by Boston Dynamics, Tesla and Knightscope
Boston Dynamics offers additional attachments for its Spot robots, including Arm, a "power mobile manipulation robot with a fully integrated arm," according to the company.
Atlas is a robot Boston Dynamics touts as the "world’s most dynamic humanoid."
"Atlas is a research platform that allows us to push the limits of whole-body mobility and bimanual manipulation," according to the Boston Dynamics site. "An advanced control system and state-of-the-art hardware give the robot the power and balance to demonstrate advanced athletics and agility."
Knightscope, a California-headquartered security camera and robotics company, offers a range of stationary, indoor, outdoor and multi-terrain autonomous security robots.
"We use a unique combination of self-driving technology, robotics, artificial intelligence (A.I.) and electric 'vehicles' to provide humans with extra eyes, ears and a voice on the ground," according to Knightscope's site. "We can be in multiple locations at the same time, helping you protect the places people live, work, study and visit."
Contributing: Walker Armstrong for the Cape Cod Times, Zane Razzaq for the Cape Cod Times
veryGood! (8)
Related
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ready to campaign for Harris-Walz after losing out for spot on the ticket
- Helene wreaking havoc across Southeast; 33 dead; 4.5M in the dark: Live updates
- A man trying to cremate his dog sparked a wildfire in Colorado, authorities say
- Maryland man convicted of shooting and wounding 2 police officers in 2023
- Big Lots store closures could exceed 300 nationwide, discount chain reveals in filing
- Micah Parsons left ankle injury: Here's the latest on Dallas Cowboys star defender
- Michael Kors’ Secret Sale on Sale Is Here—Score an Extra 20% off Designer Handbags & More Luxury Finds
- Where Trump and Harris stand on immigration and border security
- British swimmer Adam Peaty: There are worms in the food at Paris Olympic Village
- Prince fans can party overnight like it’s 1999 with Airbnb rental of ‘Purple Rain’ house
Ranking
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- New Orleans, US Justice Department move to end police department’s consent decree
- The Best Early Prime Day Fashion Deals Right Now: $7.99 Tops, $11 Sweaters, $9 Rompers & More
- 'Mighty strange': Tiny stretch of Florida coast hit with 3 hurricanes in 13 months
- Taylor Swift Cancels Austria Concerts After Confirmation of Planned Terrorist Attack
- Dozens dead and millions without power after Helene’s deadly march across southeastern US
- Martha Stewart Shares the Cooking Hack Chefs Have Been Gatekeeping for Years
- Why Adam Devine Is Convinced Wife Chloe Bridges Likes Him More Now That He's a Dad
Recommendation
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
Georgia-Alabama just means less? With playoff expansion, college football faces new outlook
NMSU football play-caller Tyler Wright's social media has dozens of racist, sexist posts
Playoff clinching scenarios for MLS games Saturday; Concacaf Champions Cup spots secured
Illinois Gov. Pritzker calls for sheriff to resign after Sonya Massey shooting
Massachusetts governor says a hospital was seized through eminent domain to keep it open
Asheville has been largely cut off after Helene wrecked roads and knocked out power and cell service
Dame Maggie Smith, 'Downton Abbey' star and Professor McGonagall in 'Harry Potter,' dies at 89