‘The American Civil Liberties Union has asked Massachusetts State Police to explain how it is using robot dogs.
The police have been testing “Spot” robot dogs alongside some of its officers.
The robots, made by Boston Dynamics, are believed to have helped with several live incidents as well as training scenarios.
The American Civil Liberties Union wants details about how and where the robots were being used.
A video captioned with the words “MA State Police” and showing the robots opening doors and entering buildings was shared online by Boston Dynamics earlier this year. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXxrmussq4E
“All too often, the deployment of these technologies happens faster than our social, political, or legal systems react,” the ACLU said.
The campaign group said it wanted more “transparency” about the use of the robots, the ways in which they would be used and which officers would be deployed with them. There was a need for regulations governing the use of the robots to ensure they did not trample on established civil rights and liberties or lead to racial injustice.
The rights group also wants to know if the robots will ever carry weapons. https://tinyurl.com/umdyb6r