People will have to get used to many ‘new normal’ things post-lockdown. One of the things that will likely be followed across the globe is social distancing. And what measures a country adopts to implement it, will depend on the country’s socio and economic structure.
Authorities in Singapore have started trialing the use of a robotic dog, to be controlled via a remote, and has been engineered by Boston Dynamics. Reportedly, the robotic dog, named Spot, is helping authorities in their efforts to ensure that social distancing is maintained in one of Singapore’s national parks.
The yellow and black robotic dog is a part of the trial to remind park visitors to practice social distancing. As a part of its task, the robotic dog says, “Let’s keep Singapore healthy. For your own safety and those around you, please stand at least 1 m apart.”
Spot is currently on trial for two weeks, covering more than 3 km, in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, after which Singapore is likely to deploy it permanently for policing measures, depending on the result. Initially, it will be patrolling the said park in the morning, whereas during the evening peak hours, it might be deployed in other parks as well.
Spot will also have a camera attached to it to give an estimate regarding how many people are present in the park at a particular time. However, the camera will not be able to track specific individuals, and no personal data will be collected.
As per the news release, using the robotic dog will enable the government to reduce manpower for patrolling, and thereby minimize physical contact among staff, and lowering the risk of exposure to the virus.