Digidog Robot
Since December last year, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has decided to use a modified Spot robot to perform explosive disposal missions so as not to endanger police officers. It was used several times to check the interior of a home that had been burglarized before police officers entered.
Unfortunately, the robot, nicknamed Digidog, was never able to show everything that it is capable of. After a few months of working in the NYPD, it was returned to the representatives of Boston Dynamics – and not because of a malfunction, but because it is simply terrible. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of the U.S. House of Representatives and several residents of the metropolis expressed concern about the work of Digidog, which is very similar to Metalhead, the four-legged robot hero of the TV series "Black Mirror". Together with them, the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, advised the police leadership to "rethink" the method of using the robot. In order not to strain too much, the NYPD simply terminated the contract with Boston Dynamics in the amount of $ 94,000, which was valid until August of this year. According to Deputy Police Commissioner John Miller, Digidog was attacked by activists who oppose racism and total surveillance. They were later joined by prominent city officials, including City councilman Ben Kallos and the mayor's press secretary, Bill Neidhard. As a result, the NYPD used the Digidog robot in just six missions, causing no harm to anyone.
