A prototype robot police officer is in the works, thanks to Reuben Brewer, a senior robotics research engineer in SRI International’s Applied Technologies and Science Department (ATSD).
The system focuses on safety for both police and motorists.
“With such dangerous interactions between people, maybe it’s time to send a robot in between them, one that can’t hurt or be hurt,” writes Brewer in the video’s description. “This prototype is a work in progress that I started in my garage and now work on at SRI international. It’s only part of the solution, but I hope one day it could save lives.”
At the beginning of a traffic stop, the cop car deploys a telescopic arm, which carries the robot officer. The arm extends to the side of the motorist’s vehicle, where the two can interact via a webcam.
The robocop can scan the driver’s documents and print out a ticket. Even more, a feature called a “spike arm” deploys in front of the motorist’s rear tires so they don’t make a quick getaway.
You can watch the prototype system in action in the video below.