Boston Dynamics’ famous robotic dog, the Digidog, joins the ranks of the NYPD. New York Mayor Eric Adams says using Digidog in the city can “save lives”.
This is not a first. In fact, a few years agothe French army was testing the robot on the battlefield. It is not surprising for a robot capable of firing a machine gun. The “dog” from Boston Dynamics, a company owned by Hyundai, is designed to work in situations that may pose a threat for humans. The latter can thus carry out inspections in dangerous areas and monitor construction sites.
In 2020, NYPD used the Digidog for recognition purposes in a situation where an armed man was barricaded inside a building. But, following criticisms have been raised once morest the use of the Digidog for surveillance and police-arming reasons, the NYPD quickly canceled its contract with Boston Dynamics.
Boston Dynamics: a contested choice
But the New York police will acquire two robot dogs for a total amount of $750,000. These robotic dogs will only be used in situations where human life is directly threatened, like bomb threats. However, this limitation does not seem to be enough to calm the opponents of the project.
Indeed, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP), a group that campaigns once morest the use of surveillance locally and nationally, has denounced the decision of the mayor. He says: “The NYPD is turning bad sci-fi into terrible police […] New York deserves real security, not a fake robocop. Wasting public money to invade the privacy of New Yorkers is a dangerous stunt by the police“.
However, the mayor of New York wants to be reassuring. He states thus: “I believe the technology is there, we can’t be afraid of it […] A few loud people objected and we took a step back – that’s not how I operate. I’m looking for what’s best for the city“.
Source : theverge
