Police patrol robots to be rolled out across Singapore; two already at Changi Airport

SINGAPORE: If you have recently visited Changi Airport Terminal 4, you may have noticed a different type of police personnel walking the beat.

Two Singapore Police Force (SPF) patrol robots have been deployed at the terminal since April to complement frontline police officers, serving as additional eyes on the ground.

And there are plans to roll out more across Singapore, said the police on Thursday (Jun 15).

These new additions to the SPF's technological arsenal comes after the police trialled various prototypes of the robots under Project MATAR (Multi-purpose All-Terrain Autonomous Robot). An earlier version of the patrol robot was also deployed at last year's National Day Parade.

Each robot is equipped with a camera with a 360-degree field of view. The camera is mounted on an extendable mast that can be raised up to 2.3m, allowing officers in the airport police operations room to have a better view of what is happening on the ground.

Members of the public can also press a button on the front of the robot to directly contact airport police and immediately get a response from an officer in the operations room.

The robots can broadcast audio messages via in-built speakers and display messages – such as "Police Operation In Progress" – on an LCD panel.

With the help of blinkers, sirens and speakers, the robots are also able to enforce a cordon or warn bystanders during an incident prior to officers arriving. An example of this, is if a robot comes across a suspicious bag left unattended in the terminal.

Live-streamed video footage will be recorded and kept in the operations room for 30 days.

Superintendent Lim Ke Wei, head of operations at Airport Police Division, told reporters: “The operationalisation of patrol robots at Changi Airport … represents a significant milestone via exploration of robotics and policing. The patrol robots operate autonomously alongside our officers, providing additional eyes on the ground.

"The integration of robotics enhances the operational efficiency and capabilities of our frontline officers, enabling them to be more effective in their duties.”