A silver-gray inspection robot dog has recently begun field patrol on Nanshan Road in Qingbo subdistrict in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province to assist local law enforcement patrols, the Qingbo subdistrict office told the Global Times on Thursday.
It is currently in a “trial period” and undergoing field testing, which is expected to officially go on duty at the end of October, and will continue to “learn” and improve afterward, Wu Wei, a deputy leader of the Qingbo subdistrict comprehensive administrative law enforcement team, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Equipped with an AI “brain,” high-definition camera, and multi-sensor fusion, the robot dog can perceive its surroundings autonomously and make intelligent decisions, Wu said.
It can autonomously patrol for issues such as illegal parking, blocked roads and unauthorized wiring, and once a violation is detected, it can be triggered remotely to record video evidence in real time, assisting follow-up law enforcement, according to Wu.
During patrols, the robot broadcasts clear voice reminders to residents: “Please do not accept unsolicited ride offers, do not board unlicensed passenger vehicles, and beware of scams.”
On a full charge, the robot dog can operate continuously for three to four hours. During routine patrols it primarily moves on four wheels to save power, can climb slopes up to 35 degrees, and if it encounters obstacles it can switch gaits to easily cross them, according to the subdistrict office.
Wu said robot dogs can enhance response speed and precision by transmitting real-time location and audio visual evidence, and better use of human resources as officers could focus more on communication instead of repetitive patrols. Beyond improving management at a single site, Wu added, their use signals broader possibilities for AI-empowered urban governance.
“This model brings cutting-edge technologies out of the lab and into real-world application, solving governance challenges and providing companies with a platform to deploy their technologies,” Wu said.
Wu said the robot dog’s use cases are being refined and expanded. Once the “trial period” assessment passes, its patrol routes and the range of issues it can handle will be further expanded.
More cities are now conducting trials of humanoid robots, and robot dogs for smart patrols. In May, for example, robot dogs were put into use for patrol and accurately detect potential safety hazards in a railway station in Longhua district, Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, according to local authorities.
