In the 1987 film RoboCop, a slain police officer returns to the force as a powerful cyborg, which is bad news for bad guys in crime-riddled, dystopian Detroit. In May 2017, the city of Dubai put its own "RoboCop" on the street, but this robot police officer bears little resemblance to the violent cinematic cyborg. Dubai's cop is armed with an interactive computer screen, which is designed to help people report crimes, get information, pay traffic fines, and submit paperwork. The robotic cop began his tour of duty by patrolling the enormous Dubai Mall. Dubai's police force hopes that 25 percent of its law enforcement force can be robotic by 2030.
Walking a beat in Dubai:
- The Dubai police department sees these smart robots as an extra tool, not a substitute for human law enforcement officers.
- The robot is considered a “humanoid service robot,” a modified Reem model built by Pal Robotics. The wheeled lawman weighs about 100kg (220 lbs) and is about 5 feet 6 inches (1.7 m) tall.
- Dubai's robot police officer is capable of speaking in both Arabic and English (and seven other languages, if needed).