Our Black Mirror Reality: Spot, the social distancing narc, is currently freaking people out.
Good intentions. Bad dog.
- Spot, the Boston Dynamics robot dog, is now patrolling and guarding public parks in Singapore to enforce social distancing.
- Singapore’s government is funding the pilot, which will go on for at least two weeks.
- Other countries are turning to automated technologies, like drones, to yell at people to stay home.
Spot, the internet-famous robotic dog fresh off stints defusing bombs, inspecting oil-rigs, and helping hospitals fight the coronavirus, has landed its latest gig: terrifying people into social distancing. Since the 8th of may, Spot has been patrolling the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in Singapore, functioning as a guard and gatekeeper during the CoronaVirus pandemic, according to reports from the ‘South China Morning Post’.
Singapore’s government is the organization funding for the robotic dog according to the press release on the week of 3rd May. Spot, the dog is meant to help and aid safe distancing efforts in nature reserves, gardens, and parks. Let’s say that in the U.S or any other countries it’d mean that you would probably run across Spot in famous parks and landmarks like in the U.S, the Yellowstone, or Redwood. In the U.A.E, the Miracle garden or Zabeel park. In the U.K, the Chelsea Physic Garden or Wrest Park and the list would go on.
The pilot will only last for 2 weeks, according to its release, and Spot will take on its vigilante duties only during non-peak hours. Additionally, Spot will play a recorded message to remind park visitors to adhere to the safe distancing measures and at least one park ranger will be present during this trial period.
‘‘Spot will be controlled remotely, reducing the manpower required for park patrols and minimizing physical contact among staff, volunteers and park visitors,’’ the government notes in its release. ‘‘This lowers the risk of exposure to the virus.’’
This video shows the robo-dog’s capacities, skills, and capabilities in helping improving human life.
In Singapore, If the trial proves successful — even though we don’t know how Singapore is measuring this — the government will consider deploying the robot dog at this park during the peak hours in the morning and evening. They’ll also conduct studies to check its worth in deploying Spot in other parks.
But what’s the problem then?
People seem to be pretty unsettled and perturbed by Spot, practicing social distancing — and then some — to avert from the dog bot. (Same videos but different views from the audience).
Automated surveillance tools are a very popular pandemic accessory now. Elsewhere in the world, Spanish authorities have begun using drones, since March, to ‘‘yell’’ at people for not staying inside.
And in New Jersey, a police department also very similarly used drones to shout out a pre-recorded message to disperse. Those threats were tied to a $1000 fine.
Singapore has even rolled out a fleet of 30 drones and few robots to observe visitor rates in parks, meant to complete Spot’s ground operations.
For his new post, Spot is strapped with various cameras running video analytics software that Singapore’s Government Technology Agency has developed. The aim is to approximately estimate the number of visitants in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, so the cameras can’t track or recognize certain individuals, and the government won’t collect confidential data.
It’s unknown whether Spot will stay after the pandemic season eases up but one thing’s for sure: The robot really is the hardest working dog in the world.
Learn More about the multi-talented Spot in its official site: https://www.bostondynamics.com/spot
