ROBOTS could soon fight criminals — like in the 1980s movie Robocop, say scientists.
They reckon machines will be deployed by police for law enforcement within two years, improving efficiency and officers’ safety.
In the futuristic 1987 sci-fi flick, murdered cop Alex Murphy is brought back as a cyborg whose super-human strength, armour and heat vision stops baddies.
Prof Ivan Sun, from the University of Delaware, says robot cops will soon come true, claiming machines could survive being shot or stabbed, and “can chase you for five miles and they won’t get tired”.
His research has found police forces around the world want to use more robotics and artificial intelligence.
China already has humanoid robots marshalling traffic while a force in Thailand last year unveiled a crowd-control bot with 360-degree vision.
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Wheeled machines also patrol casinos and shopping centres in the US and Singapore.
Meanwhile, the British Transport Police has become the latest force in the UK to start using AI facial recognition to spot suspects in crowds.
Prof Sun reckons AI will allow a bot to identify suspects, analyse if they have a weapon from 200 metres away and make split-second decisions.
Its body would be faster and tougher than a human’s — but the boffin reckons they will probably be partnered with real officers in potentially dangerous jobs.
He told the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Arizona: “The sky’s the limit. I predict these robots will do straight law enforcement within a couple of years.
“We already have bomb robots. Engaging in the use of force or high-speed chase is not in our imagination, it’s coming.”
