China’s first-ever security robot has been unveiled at the Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair last week. And while people might assume that it looks like something menacing from the movies, most will be surprised that it looks unassuming, but reportedly packs a punch.

Chinese Robocop

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The robot, called “AnBot,” is a 1.49-meter-tall, 78 kg-weighing autonomous robot that will be very useful for anti-riot measures, reports People’s Daily. It can do patrol rounds roving at 1km per hour, chase criminals at running speeds of up to 18km per hour, and do its job for 8 hours before it ever needs to be recharged.

The AnBot is capable of autonomous patrols, can make emergency calls and recharge its batteries by itself when it is low on power. It also has intelligent monitoring and different modules for various functions such as environment monitoring and detection of biochemical substances, and for clearing explosives.

Civilians can use the AnBot to call or alert police through a touch on the robot's emergency button, or by simply shouting within its patrol area. And before the police could arrive on the scene, the AnBot can already help control situations through the use of an electrical anti-riot device that can be activated via remote control should a threat be present.

Official Importance

While the AnBot has been a subject of mockery and ridicule among netizens, officials believe that it will play an important role in helping police contain riots, notes the Shanghaiist. Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau officer Wei Qiansheng said that the AnBot can be of used in various settings such as airports, stations and subways.

The AnBot is developed through a joint partnership between the National University of Defense Technology and a Hunan-based robotics company.

TagsAnBot, Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair, Robocop, tazer, National University of Defense Technology