Robotic dogs, ‘Smart Barriers’ among new landslide prevention measures touted by outgoing head of Hong Kong’s Geotechnical Engineering Office
- The robotic dogs are equipped with high definition cameras and lidar sensors, and help engineers gather data in adverse conditions
- The ‘Smart Barriers’, meanwhile, can consolidate as much data in a month as human engineers can gather in half a year
Robotic dogs are the latest addition to a line-up of technological innovations designed to collect data on potential landslides in Hong Kong, which authorities have warned could happen at any time.
Pun Wai-keong, the outgoing head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office, issued the warning on Saturday as he summed up his 35 years with the department and introduced the new technologies aimed at strengthening preventive measures against landslides.
Pun said the office had commissioned two of the robotic dogs, which cost a little more than HK$100,000 each.
“These robots will greatly assist engineers by allowing them to gather data from potentially hazardous environments, such as in bad weather conditions or on steep slopes,” he said.
Nicknamed “SPOT”, the animatronic dogs sport an arsenal of devices, including high definition cameras and lidar sensors. They also have the ability to evade obstacles and manoeuvre their way through treacherous terrain.
