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Robotcop III Set to Fight Crime in Hong Kong
Roland Piquepaille writes "There is a new cop patrolling the streets of Hong Kong and teaching children how to prevent crime. But it's a robot named Robotcop III, designed and built in Hong Kong, according to Channel Newsasia. Robotcop III can walk, dance, move in any direction, display videos and answer questions asked in Cantonese and English. The previous versions of Robotcops, introduced in 1988 and 1995, were imported from the U.S. and taught 800,000 school children how to fight crime. The promoters of Robotcop III hope it will do even better. More details and references are available in this overview including a photo of Robotcop III patrolling on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) campus."
And hopefully they haven't programmed it with hundreds of conflicting directives.
No, that's not it.
What is cantonese for "Your move, creep", again?
Rune -- Change is good, you go first
dance, move in any direction, display videos and answer questions
My local copper just sits in his panda car eating donuts.
"It's not your information. It's information about you" - John Ford, Vice President, Equifax
I give 'em about 2 days before they get sued for using such a similar name without permission.
Cooper
--
I don't need a pass to pass this pass!
- Groo The Wanderer
Better hope no kids were scared by Dr.Who, cos that thing looks too too familiar.
Daleks take hong kong!
this thing will fight crime by making criminals laugh to death?
It looks like a bad episode of Lost in Space.
Je n'ai pas d'avenir Je n'ai qu'un destin Celui de n'être qu'un souvenir C'est pour demain
I wonder if it pushes criminals down the stairs, and subsequently says they fell? Mind you, given the lack of legs on the robot, running down stairs is a sure fire way of avoiding the robot if they ever decide to convert this from a show and tell to an ass-kicking 'bot.
Yeah, then can dance, but they can only do The Robot. Why couldn't these guys be in Japan? I'd like to see them on the DDR machines.
I can't take any asian Robo-"Anything " seriously unless it is at LEAST 15 meters tall, with 6 missiles and a giant sword.
A flame thrower would be nice, be obviously that could look silly.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
.. I mean Hong Kong. There must be something wrong there... robots coming out of anywhere *but* Japan?
Yes, yes, I know it's from a South Park Episode link to script
.. how they'd stop it being vandalized. Presumably it's not so good to have a cop that needs protecting itself, escorting around and generally stopping people spray-painting it etc. I wonder how much dried gum this guy accumulates?
He better watch out for TED-209
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Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world.
As a Hong Kong resident I can tell you I would have absolutely no reservations whatsoever about letting my 13 year old daughter roam the streets of even the darkest parts of HK at 3am alone. The only crime here is organised (not that that's acceptable), but the streets are absolutely safe.
This robot cop is to be used primarily to educate youths on crime and the dangers of joining triad rings, not to actually fight crime RoboCop-style.
Did anybody notice the cute radio and nightstick in its "Belt?" I am guessing these a non-functional for obvious reasons. Like I would want a nightstick wielding robot coming after me for RIAA transgressions.
I can also say with certainty that this thing is controlled via a human. After seeing T3 would you want it any other way?
Also the most creepy thing. Take a close look at its "Nose" where the camera is. Now take a closer look and think twenty years from now, I see a gun in that place. Almost looks like it now.
Shudder.
It might cost around HK$300,000 to develop and build, but the service it provides the Hong Kong crime prevention drive is priceless. Like its predecessors, its main role is to spread anti-theft and anti-triad messages.
Mean \while, the Triad is has spent HK$300,000 trying to develop a martial arts technique that can take out a 300 lb. steel-clad robot. No luck so far.
The Triad's livelihood has been threatened by the robot's celebrity: organized crime has been reduced by 45% among school-age Hong Kong youngsters, ever since "the robot showed them the way".
On the other hand, robot-related fatalities were up by 600% at the start of the year, but declined sharply when officials decided to stop using the robot to demonstrate handgun safety in school auditoriums.
in soviet russia robot cops police YOU!
wait...
Jeremy Logan's Website.
What are its four prime directives?
-el
Where is Paul Verhoeven when you need him!? Whats next, Robots that drive cars! Matrix here we come, someone call James Cameron and that kid from the Wonder Years quick!
or, maybe, in Hong Kong they take into account SPELLING DIFFERENCES...
roboTcop != robocop
Jeremy Logan's Website.
If I were a criminal, I would steal the robot in a flash. I've seen quite a few designs for robot guard dogs / sentries / police etc and the main problem imho is that the value of them tends to make them more valuable than what they are guarding!
A little planning goes a long way...
Before anyone jumps to conclusions, let me just clarify that this is not a robocop in the "must destroy man kind" fashion. This is more like the info boxes you find in airports. Only difference is, that this one can move a bit. Coincidentially, I was at the exact spot where the picture was taken last month, and I have no doubts that the robot can move around there, since the place is pretty flat. But I was also walking the streets of Hong Kong, and there's no way this robot can move, let alone navigate, on the busy streets of HK. I reckon this will pay visits to schools and walk around in the school yard answering questions.
Underholdning.info
(Troll? But since you're spewing crap discrediting to my city, I'll respond)
Now where'd you get your ideas from? (lemme guess... HK movies?? The people who produce local movies are rarely well-educated people, and know nothing more than producing crap movies about made-belief, unrealistic gangster lives. All the other talented people in our movie industry go to Hollywood.)
>> Policing HK has become a nightmare.
Our police forces are very much in control.
>> The Chinese mafia has essentially taken over the islands
The only people hiding in the Islands are probably illegal immigrants from mainland China. Not to say they don't pose any threat to the local people, but they are not in any way organized. And the reason they are there is because there are so many small islands around, it's impossible to patrol them all every single second.
>> and controls crime and legitimate business
wtf? *Legit business? You're smoking crack. Hong Kong is a city with a International fame and has close links with businesses from all over the world. Surely you don't mean those businesses deal with thugs here?
>> from the top rungs of society down to the street gutters.
Street gutters perhaps. Top of society, no. Frankly, I've never come in contact with any gangsters before.
>> lured some of the best and brightest of HK into the underworld where there is more money to be made than in the legitimate world.
Most people who commit crimes here are anything but the "best and brightest". As for the money part, well, ain't it the major incentive for people committing crimes, as it always had been?
Hong Kong might not be the safest city in the world, but it is surely safer than many places in the world. There is no major crime problem here.
btw, I live in Hong Kong.
Don't quote me on this.
Fighting crime doesn't equate to policemen wielding guns and taking down dangerous criminals.
It's in the sense of "reducing crime rates", for example, not to take part in illegal activities, look out for conmen, pickpockets, reporting crime etc. And now with the internet, online fraud, hacker (yeah, cracker, I know) activity, copyrights etc.
(In HK) Scenes of policement wrestling with criminals on the streets nowadays are rare... I've never seen any except as TV shows or movies.
It is you who is mistaken.
Policing HK has become a nightmare.
Our police forces are very much in control.
The police are hardly in control. The police are corrupt, bought and paid for by the gangs. Those police who are not corrupt are not in a position to effect any change.
That crime seems to be low is precisely because most of it is organized.
The Chinese mafia has essentially taken over the islands
The only people hiding in the Islands are probably illegal immigrants from mainland China.
The "Islands" obviously refers to all the islands in the HK group. IOW, anything not connected to mainland China.
and controls crime and legitimate business
wtf? *Legit business? You're smoking crack. Hong Kong is a city with a International fame and has close links with businesses from all over the world. Surely you don't mean those businesses deal with thugs here?
I would say exactly that. That organized crime in HK has its hand in many pies. Hong Kong is an economic powerhouse because of the political environment which fosters a very free economy. Like the Yakuza in Japan, the gangs of HK lean heavily on business in Hong Kong.
from the top rungs of society down to the street gutters.
Street gutters perhaps. Top of society, no. Frankly, I've never come in contact with any gangsters before.
I could be flippant and call into question your societal status, but I'm not going to do that.
The fact of the matter is that in everyday life, most people will never encounter a gangster, much less a leader of a gang. These people are reclusive, and they make their influence known through their underlings who may or may not be as educated as the leaders. The best and brightest are promoted to the upper rungs of the organization while the dumber workhorses are kept on the street for their strongarm abilities.
There is no major crime problem here.
Open your eyes. Dig below the surface.
btw, I live in Hong Kong
That is irrelevent.
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I was in HK elementary school, and I remembered the day the cops did their speech along with the cute robot. There were trivia games, and I remembered I got some duotangs and goodies. Those were the days ^.^
I think things like these are great. Real human sized robots really catches attention of kids and leave a lasting impression. This should be an example for all to follow: the deeper an impression you leave, the more effective you are in educating and getting your point across.
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then it'll be in the bargain bin in about 3 months for all of us to enjoy.
Robotcop III can walk, dance, move in any direction...
It's the arrivial of real life Cop Rock!
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But I see you guys got it covered.
I'm gonna head over to a Microsoft thread to find a place to stick an awesome "Trustworthy Computing" joke I just thought up.
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