Police and search and rescue services around the world are increasingly using robots to assist in enforcement their operations. Dutch police are now considering using autonomous robot dogs with artificial intelligence in raids on drug labs to protect officers from criminal risks, dangerous chemicals and explosions.
Dutch police conduct such raids at least three to four times a week. Using autonomous robots, it aims to protect officers from danger while dismantling various equipment in drug labs.
"When the lab is running and you stop it, it can explode. Normally, if people put on protective clothing and things like that, but then they can't move that fast, they can only work for 20 minutes,— said New Scientist Simon Prins of Politie Nederland.
Autonomous robot raids
Since 2021, forces have already been using a four-legged Spot, equipped with a robotic arm, from Boston Dynamics to conduct raids and track drugs. However, Spot is remotely controlled by a handler.
The robotic dog was useful because it can go through doors and other small obstacles. This is done with the help of cameras and other sensors. The agent uses a remote control to control his highly dexterous robotic arm to perform desired tasks.
In recent years, four-legged robots have undergone significant technological improvements, allowing them to navigate different terrains, withstand extreme temperatures and perform more complex tasks. This prompted the Dutch forces to explore fully autonomous operations with the Spot.
It is reported that such autonomous robots with the support of artificial intelligence will inspect drug laboratories, verify the absence of criminals, map the territory and identify dangerous chemicals. This approach is intended to prevent injuries that officers have experienced in the past. Once the robots have completed their tasks, officers can plan a safe dismantling process.
Initial power tests suggest Spot could explore and map a 15-by-20-meter mock drug lab. He managed to find dangerous chemicals and put them in a special container for storage.
According to Prince, while the use of autonomous robots raises legal safety and political issues that require large-scale testing, if all goes according to plan, Spot the dog will eventually be tested during actual drug lab raids.
Dynamic robotic solution
Spot from Boston Dynamics allows operators to develop autonomous inspections that will consistently and reliably collect data about assets and facilities that teams need to operate more efficiently. Spot can perform laser scanning and visual, thermal, radiation and acoustic inspections with additional payloads and on-board cameras.
Unlike fixed sensors, Spot can be redeployed to other locations or with other sensors as needed. With this dynamic approach to sensing, operators can easily integrate automated data collection into their current infrastructure and processes.
Assisting in such missions, Spot's combined arm and gripper allows it to lift and carry objects weighing up to 15 pounds ( 6.8 kilograms) and drag objects weighing up to 50 pounds (22.6 kilograms), while most robots have simple grips, if any.
Although law enforcement agencies have been using robots for years for investigation and extermination suspicious items, the process was always slow. Roads, transit nodes, airports and educational institutions may be closed for several hours in a row — often due to false warnings.