VIDEO: South Korea introduces robot prison guard
Researchers in South Korea are field-testing what is believed to be the first robotic, autonomous prison guard. Built in South Korea, the creation will monitor, analyze and report behavior that could be dangerous to the health, welfare and safety of prisoners and prisons themselves.
South Korea has introduced the world's first robot jail guard — and its being touted as the future of prison security.
It's capable of monitoring prisoner behavior and triggering an alarm, as well as transmitting live video to the robot's remote operator. It's being field-tested in South Korea right now.
Lee Baik-Chul, chairman of the Asian Forum for Corrections, a prison technology research group based in South Korea, called the robot a game-changer.
"The purpose of developing this kind of robot is to secure prisoners' life and security and to decrease the workload of corrections officers in a poor working environment," Lee said to Reuters.
The robot is equipped with sophisticated cameras and analysis software that enables it to analyze prisoner behavior and report anything that is abnormal or suspicious.
"It will detect every detail of action happening inside," Lee said. "When there's an unusual behavior, it's going to analyze it, report the problem to the control system, therefore correctional officers will run and arrive at the scene on time."
The robot, which can operate autonomously but also via remote control on an iPad, can also be used to enable a correctional officer at a remote station to communicate directly with prisoners.
Researchers next goal is to develop a robot that can conduct body searches — but they acknowledge the technology isn't yet there, nor are prison systems.
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