Rise Of The Machines!

It seems like everyone is getting robots these days except the US. Now a real life Robocop is on the streets of Russia. Yes, the picture above is that of the robot. It is not a human!

AFP:

Unlike many Russian policemen, this one won't take bribes, and is always polite. Meet R. BOT 001, Russia's first robot cop now patrolling the streets of the Urals city of Perm.

The prototype of a robot built at a Moscow institute is so far the only one of its kind in the country, state-owned Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily reported Tuesday from Perm.

But at 250 kilograms, a height of 180 centimetres (551 pounds, 5.9 feet), and a form specially designed to make him almost impossible to manhandle, this robot is no pushover, Rossiiskaya Gazeta said.

The machine boasts five cameras, a help button for passersby, and the ability to issue simple instructions, such as asking someone drinking alcohol on the street to take their booze indoors.

I can't help but think about all the sci-fi stories based on this very thing. Clearly, The Terminator, The Matrix, I Robot, and Battlestar Galactica were preparing us for this occasion. All of those stories had one thing in common that led to the robots taking over ... the ability to learn, and/or a malfunction of some sort. Well, it just so happens that this Russian robot has both.

Rain damaged the electronics on its first day and the robot will have to wait out the long Russian winter. But R. BOT 001 is learning.

I'm going through my Nikola Tesla designs to find a countermeasure for the future robot rebellion as we speak.