Watch: Robots patrol Singapore streets to monitor bad social behaviour
Singapore, in its attempt to keep an eye out for rule breakers, has started testing robots named Xavier to patrol and survey public area with high foot traffic. Over the next few weeks, the robots will monitor the crowds of Toa Payoh Central to look for what the nation’s authorities describe as “undesirable social behaviours” […]
Published Date - 7 September 2021, 05:55 PM
Singapore, in its attempt to keep an eye out for rule breakers, has started testing robots named Xavier to patrol and survey public area with high foot traffic.
Over the next few weeks, the robots will monitor the crowds of Toa Payoh Central to look for what the nation’s authorities describe as “undesirable social behaviours” – which also includes the congregation of more than five people,” which goes against its Covid-19 safety measures.
In addition to that, the Xavier robots will look for instances of smoking in prohibited areas and illegal hawking. The robots are also designed to patrol the vicinity for any mobility device and motorcycle using footpaths and sidewalks and for improperly parked bicycles, as well.
If the robot detects any of those behaviours, it will alert its command centre and then display a corresponding message on its screen to educate the public, ‘Endgadget’ reported.
How does the robot work?
The robots are equipped with cameras capable of providing their command centre with a 360-degree view of what it sees. These cameras are also capable of capturing images in dim lighting using IR and low-light cameras. Plus, the video they capture will be analysed by an AI system to look for anything that may require human officers’ response.
These robots are also fitted with sensors that give them the ability to avoid colliding any objects, vehicles or pedestrians. These sensors also enable the machines to navigate the city autonomously.
Now, Singapore has already announced its plans to double the number of its surveillance cameras to 2,00,000 over the next decade. Officials believe these robots can help augment those surveillance measures further, though, and reduce the need for officers to do physical patrols.
Watch now: