South Korean Scientists Plan to Invent Military and Police Robots
South Korean scientists are planning to invent robots for use in the military and police sectors. A recent trial has been conducted to assess the technical feasibility and budget for this initiative. If approved by the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of National Defense, this project will commence by the end of 2007, with an estimated budget of around 34 million USD funded by the national treasury.
According to Sang-rok Oh, the project director, two robot prototypes have already been developed.
The police robot is designed to replace police officers on night patrols and has the capability to track criminals.
This robot resembles an animal and moves on either six or eight wheels. It can be controlled via a Remote Control System or by an “Artificial Intelligence Brain.”
To minimize costs, scientists are focusing on the wireless remote control of components housed within the robot’s body, while external parts will be implemented using both hardware and software.
Beyond security and defense purposes, scientists also hope that these advanced robots will attract private customers for personal use.
By the end of this year, scientists aim to introduce a prototype of a robot controlled by hardware and software that can assist with tasks such as dusting, child care, mechanical assistance, or serving as a housekeeper.
The estimated price for each of these household robots is between 1-2 million won (approximately 800-1600 euros). This price is significantly lower than that of robots produced in Japan. It is expected that around 3,000 household robots will be available for sale in the South Korean market by the end of this year.
According to Wolfram Burgard, a robotics expert from the University of Freiburg (Germany), we are at the intersection of commercial and technical markets.
In the field of safety, robots offer a highly effective solution, such as being implemented in alarm systems or performing dangerous tasks on behalf of humans.
