State cops are checking out using Spot robotic canines

You may not wish to read this if the Black Mirror episode “Metalhead” scared you one of the most. The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts acquired and shared files detailing how the Massachusetts State Police has actually been checking methods to integrate Boston Dynamics Spot robotic canines. 

The state’s ACLU branch connected to the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) asking for records relating to the acquisition and usage of robotics. The demand was made following a Facebook occasion the MSP Museum and Learning Center set up for July 30 called “Robotics Use in Law Enforcement.” The ACLU got 7 files in return, consisting of e-mails, scans of financial records, a “protection justification proposal for MSP” and a scan of a memo of an arrangement in between the department of fire services and the MSP bomb team. 

The files, reported on earlier by WBUR News, revealed that the state’s bomb team had Spot on loan from Boston Dynamics from August up until November. 

The MSP didn’t right away react to ask for remark, however talked to WBUR.

“Robot technology is a valuable tool for law enforcement because of its ability to provide situational awareness of potentially dangerous environments,” MSP spokesperson David Procopio informed WBUR.

In addition, Boston Dynamics Vice President for Business Development Michael Perry informed WBUR that he does not desire Spot weaponized. 

“Right now, our primary interest is sending the robot into situations where you want to collect information in an environment where it’s too dangerous to send a person, but not actually physically interacting with the space,” Perry informed WBUR.

The Spot robotic canines went on sale for early adopters in September. Though the robotic canine be however bit, it has more than showed its strength and sass— even standing out of Cirque du Soleil. 

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