All over the world, you’ll find some form of authority that just about nobody is above, whose decisions and actions are governed by policy and are carried out for the good of the populace. Normally, such a figure comes in the form of a traditional, ranked police force, though it can come in other forms, such as tribal committees or designated security personnel in places like shopping malls and schools. In China, however, it may begin coming in a somewhat different form. Thanks to the Chinese National University of Defense, the robot seen above, called Anbot, could be the new primary face of authority for the world’s most populated country.
Make no mistake: Anbot is a serious police robot and was built to spec by the University of Defense for such purposes. Along with a solid body, the security-minded robot can amble autonomously about a given area for eight hours without a charge. Anbot is also capable of analyzing footage and identifying people it sees, allowing it to call in the human police if it happens to run across a nasty situation or somebody who’s wanted by the law. The robot stands 1.49 meters and weighs in at a fairly hefty 78 kilograms. Despite this, it can travel as fast as 18 kilometers per hour, easily besting just about any human on foot, though it’s obviously no match for a vehicle. What’s more, the robot is equipped with a button that lets a nearby human call the nearest human police officer to Anbot’s location for backup. As icing on the cake, Anbot can be piloted externally, at which point its electrical weapon can be used. There was no clarification on what that weapon may be, but it’s likely that it’s some sort of taser. Anbot is also capable of making arrests in the stead of an officer, though it was not clarified if Anbot’s own judgment makes the call or if it must obtain outside authorization.
Shown off at the annual Hi-Tech Fair in Chongqing, Anbot seems ready for primetime. At this time, however, its builders and Chinese authorities have yet to announce just when this motorized patrolman may be heading into the territory of Chinese police and security guards to automate patrol work and provide aid.