In an effort to enforce social distancing, a company named Boston Dynamics invented a robodog to patrol Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in Singapore. This four-legged, headless wonder speaks in a soothing female voice to passersby, encouraging them to maintain their distance while it videotapes them (for research only, of course).
Umm…so besides the obvious questions (like where the hell is this dog’s head?!?!), I wonder what the original Spot thinks of the name.
Aside from the vaguely similar color, I’m not seeing a lot of resemblances here.
Now, I do see some similarities here.
Perhaps Singapore’s robodog would be more aptly named Lupin.
All joking aside, Singapore remains in lockdown until June 1st and, like many of us, people are expected to leave their homes only for essential trips and to wear a mask at all times. They currently have over 21,000 cases of COVID-19.
In addition to doing surveillance at the park, the robodogs are being used on a trial basis for delivering medical supplies to temporary hospitals.
My own children, who are a bit timid around dogs, may actually enjoy hanging around Robo SPOT. After all, he never sheds and, having no face of his own, he can’t lick yours.
Nevermind he may be secretly plotting robot world domination.
As for me?
I’ll be hanging out in the cat cafe.
I’m more of a “pets-with-fur-and-heads” kind of gal.
Miranda is a freelance writer, editor, and educator who writes about raising a child with autism on her blog, Mommy Catharsis. Her work can also be found on Ann Arbor Family Press, Scary Mommy, Mamalode, and The Mighty. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or her business site, Keskes Ink.
