The Singapore Police Force is seen showcasing the hybrid human-rideable robot called Gibson at Changi Airport Terminal 4, on July 16. -- ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A police patrol robot that doubles as a personal mobility device (PMD) for officers is being trialled at Changi Airport Terminal 4.
The autonomous robot, called Gibson, is outfitted with multiple cameras and sensors to help it avoid obstacles and people. Officers can also use it for transportation, to cover long distances at the airport quickly.
The Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) developed Gibson in collaboration with the A*Star Institute for Infocomm Research. The trial began in early July.
“Gibson was inspired by the concept of creating a buddy robot for our officers,” said HTX engineer Seah Qi Yan from the Robotics, Automation and Unmanned Systems Centre of Expertise.
“They can use it as a PMD in their operations and transform it into an autonomous robot when not in use.”
Gibson was developed to advance human-robot collaborations in the Home Team, Seah added.
Its ride-hailing function is a key feature that was developed in-house. Using their phone or tablet to access the robotics platform, officers can call for an available robot to meet them at a nearby pickup point.
While travelling aboard Gibson, they can select the autonomous function to get them to their destination as they tend to other matters, such as reviewing incidents on their devices. Alternatively, officers may choose to drive it manually by using a physical key.
Two of the robots were shown to the media on July 16 at Terminal 4.
Each robot has safety features such as automatically stopping if someone attempts to get on it while it is moving. Attempts to block Gibson intentionally as it is patrolling will cause it to sound a horn.
Named after inventor Arthur Hugo Cecil Gibson, who made the first motorised scooter in the early 1900s, it is the second type of police robot to be used at the airport.
The first police patrol robots were introduced at the airport in April 2023, after more than five years of trials and smaller-scale roll-outs.
Superintendent of Police Patrick Pang, an operations officer for planning and readiness from the Airport Police Division, said Gibson will complement existing police patrols and enhance the police presence at the airport.
He said: “The ride-hailing function makes it convenient for officers to summon Gibson without having to manually search for one.
“And with the autonomous mode, our officers do not have to worry about where to park, as it can resume its patrols without returning to a designated parking lot." -- The Straits Times/Asia News Network
