Remote controlled robocops to aid disabled cops in the US
5 Oct 2012 11:28 PM GMT
A team of scientists including one of Indian-origin is working on a real-life ‘Robocop’ that would enable injured or disabled US police to patrol the streets and combat crime.
Injured policemen or soldiers will be wired up to the ‘PatrolBot’ which will effectively give them mechanical limbs that they have lost whilst in service.
The plan is to make a basic version of Alex Murphy, the fictional policeman in the 1987 hit Robocop, who is turned into a cyber cop after being nearly killed in the line of duty, the Daily Mail reported.
His brain and spinal cord are salvaged and put into the body of an armour-plated android – then sent out to protect the public.
The new technology is based on advances in the US military in telerobotics, which is where users are wired up remotely to a robot and given physical feedback to simulate the feeling of being there.
The injured persons would use cameras and sensors on the PatrolBot which would be connected to their own body.
They would see using a virtual reality helmet which would make it look like they were peering through the robot’s eyes.
Preliminary sketches drawn up by Florida University International show a Robocop style android on wheels clad in silver armour.
According to Gizmag.com, the aim of the research is to develop telebots capable of patrolling in high-density public spaces and performing surveillance in sensitive areas such as ports and nuclear facilities.
The prototype will incorporate video, audio and sensory capabilities.
The project was created by Jeremy Robbins, a lieutenant commander in the US Navy Reserves, in conjunction with Florida International University.
‘We want to look at something that’s affordable and can also be deployed so that people can use it. We want to make sure that the cost is affordable for police departments and others,’ FIU professor Nagarajan Prabakar said.
The telebots would give disabled military and police veterans an opportunity to serve in law enforcement, Robbins said.
‘With telebots, a disabled police officer will be capable of performing many, if not most, of the functions of a normal patrol officer - interacting with the community, patrolling, responding to emergency calls, issuing citations,’ he added. The aim is to bring a person back to work who otherwise would not be able to, Robbins said.
Injured policemen or soldiers will be wired up to the ‘PatrolBot’ which will effectively give them mechanical limbs that they have lost whilst in service.
The plan is to make a basic version of Alex Murphy, the fictional policeman in the 1987 hit Robocop, who is turned into a cyber cop after being nearly killed in the line of duty, the Daily Mail reported.
His brain and spinal cord are salvaged and put into the body of an armour-plated android – then sent out to protect the public.
The new technology is based on advances in the US military in telerobotics, which is where users are wired up remotely to a robot and given physical feedback to simulate the feeling of being there.
The injured persons would use cameras and sensors on the PatrolBot which would be connected to their own body.
They would see using a virtual reality helmet which would make it look like they were peering through the robot’s eyes.
Preliminary sketches drawn up by Florida University International show a Robocop style android on wheels clad in silver armour.
According to Gizmag.com, the aim of the research is to develop telebots capable of patrolling in high-density public spaces and performing surveillance in sensitive areas such as ports and nuclear facilities.
The prototype will incorporate video, audio and sensory capabilities.
The project was created by Jeremy Robbins, a lieutenant commander in the US Navy Reserves, in conjunction with Florida International University.
‘We want to look at something that’s affordable and can also be deployed so that people can use it. We want to make sure that the cost is affordable for police departments and others,’ FIU professor Nagarajan Prabakar said.
The telebots would give disabled military and police veterans an opportunity to serve in law enforcement, Robbins said.
‘With telebots, a disabled police officer will be capable of performing many, if not most, of the functions of a normal patrol officer - interacting with the community, patrolling, responding to emergency calls, issuing citations,’ he added. The aim is to bring a person back to work who otherwise would not be able to, Robbins said.
Next Story
