New ball robot hunts criminals in China

An unusual police assistant patrols the Chinese city of Wenzhou: a spherical robot called RT-G. The amphibious device can track suspects and be equipped with non-lethal weapons. The question is whether this is more than a gadget. Rotunbot

Rolling crime fighting

An unusual sight has recently attracted attention in the streets of the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou: a spherical machine was patrolling alongside a unit of special police officers. The robot, which weighs 160 kilograms and has a diameter of 0.8 meters, is the local police’s newest helper in the fight against crime. According to the creators, the RT-G, as the robot is called, is a versatile device.

It can be used both on land and in water and can reach speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour. The robot accelerates to this top speed in 2.5 seconds. Thanks to its robust construction, it can withstand falls from a height of up to one meter without damage.

From the destination of Mercury to the streets of China

Like the Chinese news agency Xinhua reports, the RT-G built by a startup Rotunbot has an “extraterrestrial” origin: the concept was originally developed for the exploration of the planet Mercury. Wang You, a researcher from Zhejiang University, explains that Mercury is a planet with extreme temperature fluctuations due to its proximity to the Sun, which led to the development of this robust and spherical robot.

The RT-G uses an internal pendulum powered by a motor. This enables precise movements in all directions while maintaining good balance. Wang explains the advantages: The system is characterized by minimal friction when rolling and does not require any additional stabilization. It also offers better energy efficiency than legged robots, allowing continuous operation for ten hours or a range of 120 kilometers.

Equipment for police operations

For police use, the RT-G was equipped with various non-lethal weapons. This includes:

• Tear gas launchers
• Smoke bombs
• Sonic cannons for crowd control
• Net launcher for catching suspects

In collaboration with human officers, the robot is intended to help with patrols and can react independently to suspicious activities thanks to artificial intelligence and facial recognition. However, there are also critical voices: The robot could easily be outsmarted by suspects simply using stairs. The use of facial recognition raises ethical questions. The provision of weapons is also controversial.