The robot stands on four legs and, when its bright-yellow, snake-like mouth opens, is reminiscent of a demogorgon from Stranger Things. The way the robot moves looks like the Von Trapp children marching to meet Maria at the beginning of the Sound of Music, or a runway walk in high heels.
It’s safe to say that Tyra Banks would love this robot if it was on America’s Next Top Model. As Mike O’Donnell, DPD commander of special operations puts it, the robot “prances a little bit," and it's the first of its kind in Colorado.
DPD has other robots, but this one can walk side to side like a crab or up stairs, and it can open doors and pick items up with a manipulating arm and hand. The device also has a pan-tilt zoom camera so the officers operating the robot can see 360 degrees.
“There are cameras all around it,” DPD Bomb Squad Sergeant Jason Carrigan told reporters after unveiling the robot on Wednesday, December 4. “On the sides, in the front, in the back, underneath it. There are cameras and sensors everywhere.”
Those cameras enable collision avoidance on the robot so it won’t run into people or objects, according to police.
Around $328,000 in grant funds from the federal Urban Area Security Initiative and the North Central All-Hazards Region of Colorado were used to purchase the new robot. Because of the NCR funding, other jurisdictions around Denver can request assistance from DPD and the robot, as well.
The robot literally stomps around, so it won’t be used for stealthy operations. Its max speed is only around four miles per hour, so it won’t be engaged in any sort of high-speed chase. But DPD plans to use the robot to inspect and remove suspicious items, particularly those that might be explosive.
“In certain situations, we'll use it in tactical settings to go in after a search warrant is obtained to clear different residences,” O’Donnell added during the press conference. “It has two-way communication that enables us to talk to someone who might be in there.”
If an officer can’t fit in a space or if it would be dangerous for a person to enter a situation, the robot can step in unarmed.
“It will not have weapons on it in any capacity, whether lethal or less lethal, so it is strictly to gather a suspicious device and bring it back to the bomb detectives to render it safe,” O’Donnell added.
Because of its two-way communication abilities, the robot could be used in negotiation situations with barricaded suspects or gunmen.
“If this robot is able to go in and establish a dialogue with a negotiator to the suspect to have them surrender peacefully, that's a win every day,” O’Donnell explained.
The robot provides a conduit for the voice of an officer or negotiator, but DPD officers still need additional training to use those capabilities. According to O’Donnell, police in Houston have had success with radiation detection, bomb mitigation and some tactical environments with this robot over the past two years.
The robot can stay on its feet if someone bumps into it and get back up on its own if someone knocks it down. While it can operate in the rain, it can’t be submerged in water, nor is it plated with armor.
O’Donnell noted DPD currently uses its bomb squad robot around 300 times a year and its tactical robot around 200 times, so this new robot will get plenty of use. The newer model is much more mobile than the previous bomb squad robot, which moves on large wheels and takes about 45 minutes to go up a flight of stairs, according to Carrigan.
“It works so well because it has multiple points of contact with the ground,” he said.
Officers will undergo additional training, but O’Donnell says their new toy is pretty simple to use, noting that children could probably operate the robot easily.
The department has partnered with Doull Elementary School for a naming contest for the robot in January, though officers are currently calling it “Spot.”Because the robot can be a bit unsettling on first sight, DPD is trying to give the community multiple opportunities to get used to its presence.
“We're going to use this in every way possible for community engagement,” O’Donnell said. “We want the public to see this, feel safe, and recognize that it's a safety resource.”
The first chance for people to see the robot in action will be at the Parade of Lights on December 7, when the robot will be available for people to meet. It will also be fitted with radiation detection equipment, just in case any areas need to be cleared.
