Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 2, 1994 TAG: 9402020038
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He will face gunfire without fear to save a fellow officer.
He follows commands without question and wins praise from his superiors for his lack of humanity.
After all, he is not a person. "He" is a Virginia State Police robot.
"That's the biggest advantage," said Salem Police Sgt. Mike Fisher, one of 50 area officers to catch the robot's performance at the Fort Lewis fire station. "You can put something mechanical out there instead of a human body."
State police are hoping that many police officers throughout Virginia get the same message this week, as Robocop takes a whirlwind, rock-star-type tour of five Virginia cities.
"In law enforcement, we can use technology to protect ourselves," said Frank Williams, with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. "For heaven's sake, take advantage of it."
State police initially shelled out $80,000 for the robot, hoping it would take some of the risk out of bomb disposal. Since then, they have learned that the robot may have a lot of other uses.
An officer watching a small television screen uses remote control to maneuver the battery-powered robot.
With cameras aboard, the robot can search a house or familiarize officers with what is inside. It can climb stairs, shine a light in dark rooms and carry in a two-way radio to let police talk with a hostile, gun-toting suspect.
It is vulnerable to water, which can short-circuit its electrical system, and toppling.
In hostile situations, the robot can be loaded on a truck or carried to the scene in a state police helicopter. Williams assured local police departments that the robot will be at their disposal.
At 275 pounds, it can handle up to 250 pounds with its mechanical arm, which is deft enough to pick up a pipe bomb or turn a door knob.
The robot, which moves on a tread similar to a military tank's, moves slowly and meticulously as it goes about its deadly business.
It can carry a shotgun, but cannot return fire to protect itself.
"You cannot use deadly force to protect a robot," Williams said.
But the concerns of the police officers gathered at Fort Lewis were much more personal and, yes, human.
"I think it might be a pretty good tool," said Vinton Police Chief Rick Foutz. "If we had to barricade a suspect, I'd rather it be a robot, and not me."
by CNB