News

U.S. Homeland Security deploys four-legged robotic ‘dogs’ at Mexico border

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is turning to Ghost Robotics Vision 60 four-legged robots to control the border with Mexico in Texas. They are designed to help automate border patrols.

Robotic “dogs” for border control

The Department of Homeland Security is using four-legged robots from Ghost Robotics on a test basis for automated border patrol in Texas. They explained this in a recent post.

The robots are equipped with special sensors and cameras and are said to be able to handle even difficult terrain on their own. Together with the manufacturer, the robots were tailored to the needs of the Customs and Border Protection agency. The test is currently running on a trial basis at the border with Mexico in El Paso, Texas.

The initial aim is to collect data on battery life, performance and communication with the authorities. The agency is hoping to help with surveillance in particular.

Thanks to modern thermal imaging, night vision or 360-degree cameras, the four-legged robots can survey the terrain in all situations. They also have special sensors that can detect chemical, biological and radioactive substances.

The “dogs” communicate with the operator in charge via a radio link and can either be controlled remotely or follow a quasi-autonomous path previously specified by GPS. The goal of the “Unmanned Ground Vehicle” is also to reduce the dangers of border patrols.

Ghost Robotics Vision 60

Heat and high humidity, difficult terrain in nature and in built-up areas such as freight cars and railroad tracks, make border patrols extremely difficult for humans. Here, the robots should have an easier time.

At the same time, Customs and Border Protection says crime is a major issue. Human trafficking, drug and other smuggling, including weapons and weapons of mass destruction are a huge problem at the border with Mexico, he said. This is where “machine enforcement” is supposed to provide some relief.

The robot dog used is the Ghost Robotics Vision 60. It is around 85 cm long and 76 cm high without additional attachments. It weighs just under 40 kg. The current model can carry up to 10 kg of accessories.

Click here to display content from twitter.com

According to the manufacturer, the usage time with one battery charge is 8 to 10 hours in mixed mode, while up to 21 hours are achieved in stand-by. Sand, water and difficult rocks cannot harm the Vision 60. It reaches a sprint speed of around three meters per second.

This puts the robot from Ghost Robotics in direct competition with “Spot” from Boston Dynamics, which is used by the New York Police Department (NYPD), among others.

Civil rights activists fear disaster

The civil rights organization ACLU is more than critical of the use of the robot “dog” and fears a disaster at the U.S. border with Mexico. Especially since the border protection agencies there have long been criticized. The treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, some of whom are detained in private facilities after crossing the border illegally, is more than borderline, he said.

Potential arming of the robots would also further aggravate the situation. In principle, the Vision 60 robots currently in use are not armed, but this can be retrofitted – for example in the form of sniper rifles.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

Related Articles

Neue Antworten laden...

Avatar of Basic Tutorials
Basic Tutorials

Neues Mitglied

3,599 Beiträge 1,478 Likes

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is turning to Ghost Robotics Vision 60 four-legged robots to control the border with Mexico in Texas. They are designed to help automate border patrols. Robotic „dogs“ for border control The Department of Homeland Security is using four-legged robots from Ghost Robotics on a test basis for automated border … (Weiterlesen...)

Antworten Like

Back to top button