Security robot with ‘electrically charged riot control tool’ draws Terminator comparisons

An intelligent security robot unveiled at the Congqing Hi-Tech Fair has made quite an impression already, drawing comparisons to everything from the killer Dalek race in Doctor Who to the killer bot in the Terminator movie franchise.

The robot, referred to as “AnBot”, stands approximately 5 feet tall, weighs 170 pounds, has a top speed of 11 miles per hour, and a lifespan of 8 hours between recharge. It was built by China’s National Defense University, and has sensors that mimic the human brain, eyes, and ears. 

AnBot has an SOS button for people to notify police of a problem; it also has an offensive capability in the form of an “electrically charged riot control tool”. This option can be activated remotely by a human operator. 

Below is video of AnBot in action—word of warning, the electrical charged riot control tool was not demonstrated in the clip:

Edward Snowden tweeted of the technology: 

Additional notes on social media included comparisons to the aforementioned Daleks and Terminator robots, as well as the humanoid Cylons from the Battlestar Galactica movies. 

Worth noting: AnBots are not the first autonomous security robot in operation. The Knightscope K5 is a similar-look bot that has been in use in Silicon Valley since 2014. It has no offensive capabilities; rather, its only deterrent effect is to act, more or less, as a mobile security camera. 

Via ABC.net.au