Taylor Police Chief John Blair (at podium) speaks to city officials about leasing a RADDOG Law Enforcement Robotic Dog during the Feb. 6 City Council meeting.
RADDOG, a robotic dog for law enforcement applications, can handle difficult terrain, hard-to-access areas, and dangerous situations while providing audio and video interfaces to law enforcement personnel.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR – RADDOG, a law enforcement robotic dog, will soon be a police officer’s best friend as Taylor leases a metallic canine to help in hazardous and challenging situations.
RADDOG is a product of Robotic Assistance Devices, which is a subsidiary of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions.
The metallic canine is designed to maneuver in difficult terrain, to enter hard-to-access areas and to interface in hazardous environments while supplying audio and video feedback through its sensors to its human companions.
The one-year lease, $32,500, would be funded through Federal Forfeiture Treasury assets.
Police Chief John Blair said the robotic dog can be used in several situations, such as with a barricaded gunman.
“This dog would allow us to communicate much more clearly with these people and anyone in crisis,” he said. “If we had someone in a building and we didn’t know if it was safe to go inside, we could send this dog in.”
Blair said the robotic dog works well in a hazardous material environment as well.
“It’s a really cutting-edge, new technology, and we would be the first ones in the state of Michigan to have this particular dog,” he said. “This allows us to communicate with people in a much safer manner, and hopefully be able to de-escalate before you have to turn to a use of force.”
Blair said the lease agreement covers damage that may occur to the robotic dog during use.
He said the department is entering into a one-year lease agreement to try out the technology, and they expect it to improve as years go by.
Blair said there is a camera on the front of the dog, which can even show the human counterpart’s face on a screen if desired, which allows the person approached to talk to a police officer through the robotic dog interface.
“We can communicate face-to-face, which is one of the unique features of this particular dog,” he said.
Police Lt. Jeff Adamisin said the Police Department is leasing the RADDOG 2LE, which he said is the “latest and greatest edition.”
“What’s cool about this company is we are helping them design what we need instead of a company telling us what we need,” he said.
Adamisin said the robotic dog has a cellular signal which provides a GPS location.
He said anyone who plays video games can easily control the robotic dog, which means more people will be able to easily learn how to operate it.
Adamisin said it is designed to withstand being kicked, and if it is knocked over, it has the ability to right itself to get back on its feet.
Blair said they will launch a contest locally to name their new robotic canine team member.