Article Image

IPFS News Link • Police State

South Korea plans robo-cops to police prison

• Stephen C. Webster via The RawStory.com
 

The South Korean Ministry of Justice is hiring, but they’re not looking for human help at the moment: they want robo-cops.

In an announcement late last year, South Korean officials said they would be deploying three autonomous robot guards at their prison facility in Pohang. The guards are to monitor cells for suspicious activity and alert humans on staff of any trouble.

Developed by the Korean Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) at a cost of about $875,000, the forthcoming robo-cops stand about five feet tall and stream live video of what it sees to a remote location. They’re also equipped with a microphone and speaker, so guards can communicate with prisoners, and vice-versa.