() — At over 2 meters tall when fully extended and with 360 degree vision, they are formidable enough to make any lawbreaker think twice.
But they are not Robocop.
They are the two robots that the Singapore Police introduced to patrol the Changi Airport after more than five years of testing. And they are just the first such robots that the body plans to deploy throughout the Southeast Asian city-state to “increase the number of frontline officers” in the coming years.
The robots patrol alongside frontline Singapore Police officers and serve as extra eyes on the ground. (Credit: Ryan Quek/Singapore Police)
The robots, which have been patrolling the airport since April, are intended to “project an additional police presence” and serve as “eyes on the ground”, according to the police, describing them as the latest addition to their “technological arsenal”.
And they are not a mere pantomime. In the event of an incident, the robots can cordon off the area and warn passers-by with their flashers, sirens and loudspeakers, while they await the arrival of human agents. Citizens can communicate directly with the Police by pressing a button located on the front of the robots.
The Singapore Police announced on Friday the “progressive deployment” of more robots throughout the city-state.
“The integration of robotics improves the operational efficiency and capabilities of our frontline officers, enabling them to be more effective in their tasks,” said Airport Police Superintendent and Chief of Operations Lim Ke Wei.
Each robot has built-in speakers that emit audio messages and a rear LCD panel that displays visual messages. They have an approximate height of 1.7 meters, but have extendable masts that allow them to reach 2.3 meters.
They are also equipped with several cameras that provide them with a 360-degree view, allowing the Airport Police to have “an unobstructed view” for “better incident management,” he added.
The Singapore Police are planning to deploy patrol robots across the island to augment their operations. (Credit: Ryan Quek/Singapore Police)
These are the most recent robots used in civic tasks in this technological nation of more than 5 million inhabitants.
Earlier versions of the robots were deployed in public parades in 2018 and 2022.
During the coronavirus pandemic, they used robot dogs to enforce strict physical distancing, while cleaning robots are commonplace in metro stations across the country, as well as at the airport.
For their part, transport managers are confident that commercial flying taxis can become a reality in just two years.
But even in a country where robots are relatively common, they can take some getting used to.
Samwell Swant, an American traveler, gasped as he passed through Terminal 4 to catch a flight to Vietnam.
“It was a show, like something out of a movie or Black Mirror,” Swant told . “It was hard not to notice.”
Curious, he cautiously moved closer to take a closer look, only to see it light up as a camera extended out.
“ChatGPT…AI music…robots…Soon machines will take over the world and these security bots seem to mean business,” he said.
