Want help from Dubai Police? Robocop is now to the rescue

Visitors interact with the Dubai Police Robot at Gitex Technology Week.- Photo by Dhes Handumon

By 2030, almost 30 per cent of the Dubai Police force will be made up of robots. So whether you want to report a crime, send out a call for help, or simply use one of its e-services, the one-stop Robocop is the answer.
Standing at 170cms tall and weighing 100 kilogrammes, the autonomous robot will be positioned throughout the city's malls and streets and will cater to both residents and tourists.
As one of the latest incorporations to the Dubai Police smart department, the robot will broadcast live video feeds and it will soon host a big, red SOS button too, which people can push if they are in need of immediate help.
"If the person presses the button, they will be alerted that they are requesting for emergency assistance, so if they proceed, a Dubai Police officer will be at their side within the next five minutes," Major Ahmed Al Haj, head of smart marketing at Dubai Police told Kahleej Times at the Gitex Technology Week.
Although the Dubai Police Robot count currently stands at one, residents should expect to see "hundreds taking to the city's streets" over the next few years.
"This is the first and only model so far and we have already seen it in operation at The Dubai Mall and Mirdif City Centre. People can use the robot to pay fines, apply for police clearance certificates, as well as many other e-services, using text and speech," he said.
Using facial recognition technology, it can also "detect wanted persons". "If it recognises a face from the Dubai Police 'Wanted Persons' list, the robot will automatically connect to the Operations Room and alert the in-house team," Al Haj said.
Equipped with interactional features which sees the robot saluting its users and asking how their day is, the launch of the world's first operational Robocop is a significant milestone and is the first step in the right direction towards realising Dubai's vision to be a global leader in smart cities technology adoption.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com