“Robot Dogs” will soon be patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border according to the Department of Homeland Security.
These four-legged robotic quadrupeds weigh in at approximately 100 pounds and look like something out of science fiction horror.
DHS says the machines are critical in patrolling the harsh landscape of the American Southwest.
“The southern border can be an inhospitable place for man and beast, and that is exactly why a machine may excel there,” said DHS Science and Technology Derectorate manager Brenda Long. “This S&T-led initiative focuses on Automated Ground Surveillance Vehicles, or what we call ‘AGSVs.’ Essentially, the AGSV program is all about…robot dogs.”
Reaction to the armed dogs has been mixed but police view them as just another tool.
“Due to the demands of the region, adding quadruped mechanical reinforcements is a smart use of resources. Despite the dangers, and maybe even using them as cover, there are many types of illegal activity that happen in the harsh border zones,” DHS said in a statement.
Police use of such robots is still rare and largely untested — and hasn’t always gone over well with the public.
Hellbound and Down 