U.S. Police Already Using 'Spot' Robot From Boston Dynamics in the Real World

[Natural Citizen]

Massachusetts State Police (MSP) has been quietly testing ways to use the four-legged Boston Dynamics robot known as Spot, according to new documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. And while Spot isn’t equipped with a weapon just yet, the documents provide a terrifying peek at our RoboCop future.

The Spot robot, which was officially made available for lease to businesses last month, has been in use by MSP since at least April 2019 and has engaged in at least two police “incidents,” though it’s not clear what those incidents may have been. It’s also not clear whether the robots were being operated by a human controller or how much autonomous action the robots are allowed. MSP did not respond to Gizmodo’s emails on Monday morning.

Continued - U.S. Police Already Using 'Spot' Robot From Boston Dynamics in the Real World


Ah well. At least they gave us some more emojis in the last IOS update.

 

[sparky]

Obviously we’re on the cusp of something new here as robots, autonomous or otherwise, start following cops around and go knocking on doors. The next step will surely be putting weapons on these things.

~S~

 

[Confounding]

They could at least use some of this creepy tech to make my life easier. I was flying into the U.S from London last year and they used a machine to facial I.D me in about half a second. Why do I even need my passport at this point? Why do I have to pay for a renewal? Why do I have to deal with half a dozen other forms of bureaucratic horseshit? The cops can run your plate and have a picture of you on their computer that tells them if you're valid or not. Why do I need to carry my license? It's asinine. You can't take my privacy away and then force me to still pay for shit like that.

 

[gipper]

They could at least use some of this creepy tech to make my life easier. I was flying into the U.S from London last year and they used a machine to facial I.D me in about half a second. Why do I even need my passport at this point? Why do I have to pay for a renewal? Why do I have to deal with half a dozen other forms of bureaucratic horseshit? The cops can run your plate and have a picture of you on their computer that tells them if you're valid or not. Why do I need to carry my license? It's asinine. You can't take my privacy away and then force me to still pay for shit like that.

Agreed.

We have a government today that likes and intends to impose draconian rules on the masses. They believe this will make us more accepting of their demand to rule us. The masses must be controlled. We must know our place.

So it goes in the Land of the Free.

 

[JoeMoma]

They could at least use some of this creepy tech to make my life easier. I was flying into the U.S from London last year and they used a machine to facial I.D me in about half a second. Why do I even need my passport at this point? Why do I have to pay for a renewal? Why do I have to deal with half a dozen other forms of bureaucratic horseshit? The cops can run your plate and have a picture of you on their computer that tells them if you're valid or not. Why do I need to carry my license? It's asinine. You can't take my privacy away and then force me to still pay for shit like that.

If I have to be frisked at the airport by a robot, I want it to be a sexy female robot.

 

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]

Use it to chase down groids.