The Chinese government has a new toy – a sinister, egg-shaped police robot that can apparently zap wrongdoers into submission.
The state-controlled People’s Daily newspaper unveiled the AnBot yesterday, which it says is smart enough to go on patrol and even engage in “riot control”.
China's 1st intelligent security robot debuts; can patrol autonomously, protect against riot https://t.co/QjjQr7qxhI pic.twitter.com/B45noU1bHJ
— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) April 26, 2016
It says the smooth, white robot has sensors that “mimic the human brain, eyes and ears” and can chase suspects at up to 10mph.
It can patrol by itself, and even has weapons, which can be deployed by remote operators.
According to the People’s Daily:
AnBot is able to patrol autonomously and protect against violence or unrest.
When people around AnBot face security threats, the robot’s control personnel can remotely deploy AnBot’s electrically charged riot control tool.
No word on what this tool actually is – some kind of baton? A Taser? Something worse?
In any case it’s scary. For once, Edward Snowden nailed it:
Surely this will end well. https://t.co/2OIfcL3ZSv
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) April 26, 2016
