Robot Dogs Are Coming To the US-Mexican Border
- By CDOTrends editors
- February 22, 2022
Donald Trump’s solution to the USA’s southern border issue was to build a wall. But a more hi-tech response could soon be in action as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it was developing “robot dogs” to help with border surveillance.
Built by a Philadelphia-based company called Ghost Robotics, the “dogs” weigh around 45 kilograms and have legs, not wheels, which help them negotiate the rugged terrain.
The company’s chief executive, Jirren Parikh, described the “dogs” as a “battery-operated computer that moves around on four legs that literally stops operating in four hours.”
“It’s a robot that’s remotely controlled by a human in the middle," Parikh said in an interview with CNN.
The devices are part of the Atomised Land Surveillance Vehicles (AGSV) program. They can be coupled with thermal, night vision, zoom cameras, chemical, biological, or radiological sensors.
They remain connected to the operator through Wi-Fi, 5G, and use GPS technology to “find” their way around.
Another representative of Ghost Robotics, Gavin Kenneally, described the device as a “rugged quadruped robot.”
“It traverses all kinds of natural terrains, such as sand, rocks, and hills, as well as human-built environments such as stairs,” he said.
“That’s why you want legs and not wheels.”
The announcement has created some controversy in the U.S., with migrant activists critical of the development and one calling it “alarming and outrageous” and “frightening” surveillance technology.
But Ghost Robotics insists the “dogs” are simply sensors and are not there to interact with people.
“It’s not being militarized for the border,” said Parikh.
“There’s no weapon on it. It’s not stopping people, saying, ‘don’t go there.’ It can’t do that. It’s a small robot.”
Image credit: iStockphoto/Lemanieh