A robot security guard that can operate both on the ground and in the water with the ability to track, combat, and capture, has recently been on patrol side by side with police officers in a crowded commercial district in Wenzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, as part of the country's efforts to deploy advanced technology to aid public security work.
The spherical robot, decked out with cameras and flashing lights, rolled and tilted around without tippling over, drawing public attention with its futuristic shape and functions.
"I felt very safe when I saw police officers on patrol. Now with high-tech products, I think it can be even safer," said Gao Jun, a resident.
The robot's design and mobility enables it to reach many corners which traditional patrol equipment cannot get to.
"Its maximum speed is 35 kilometers per hour. If the operator pushes the lever very hard, its instantaneous acceleration can reach the maximum speed in about two seconds," said Hu Dongming, a SWAT officer.
In addition, the robot can drive itself by collecting and transmitting GPS coordinates information on site.
And it is mounted with net guns to aim at a suspect and fire a net to entangle the target.
"Its biggest feature is that it can be used in a confrontational environment. Even if it is being hit at close range, it will not lose its function. It can improve the public security officers' on-site handling capabilities in extreme environments or when there are crowds of people," said Huang Sufeng, another SWAT officer.
According to Wang You, an associate professor from the College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, who led the research team for the project, they came up with the idea of designing a fully-sealed spherical robot as they hoped it can be amphibious and capable of working in special and harsh environments.
Wang said the robot can be equipped with different sensors and devices, so as to adapt to demands under any circumstance.
"Different external devices can be mounted onto the robot. Police officers want to increase deterrent effect when patrolling, so they equip the robot with net guns. And at airports, the robot can be equipped with a loudspeaker to drive birds away. We research and development team defines the robot as an intelligent, mobile vehicle," said Wang.
The robot's spherical shape, however, makes it shake constantly, leaving it unable to perceive the external environment and difficult to control its route accurately.
The researchers finally found a solution to the challenge after six-year efforts, said Wang.
"One of my PhD students came up with a great idea. Based on the control of the momentum wheel, we add motion control with induction motors onto the robot, greatly improving its motion performance. The spherical robot is also equipped with lidar and cameras. In open areas, it can achieve a near-L4 level of unmanned driving, and can automatically move along the set route and avoid obstacles," he noted.
Now, the robot can not only adapt to harsh environments and complex terrains, but also operate normally under corrosive, radioactive, flammable and explosive dangerous conditions, making it particularly suitable for tasks of countering terrorism and maintaining stability.
China's high-tech spherical security robot enhances policing in crowded wenzhou streets
China's high-tech spherical security robot enhances policing in crowded wenzhou streets
