While we’ve chewed the fat over our fair share of robotic spheres, from the rather chatty Translation not available (en-gb) to its impressively athletic cousin Robotic Football Joins the Old Balls Universe , China, ever the pragmatist, has decided to roll with the concept in a decidedly less playful, and frankly, more ‘get-the-job-done’ direction. So, allow us to introduce the Rotunbot RT-G, a rather hefty 125 kg (that’s 276 lbs in old money) self-balancing orb, engineered not for a leisurely kickabout, but for giving ne’er-do-wells a proper run for their money. Currently being put through its paces on the streets of Wenzhou in Zhejiang province, this amphibious robocop is, quite simply, built for the chase. And by ‘chase’, we mean serious, no-nonsense pursuit.
Hatched from the clever minds at Logon Technology (and its plucky startup Rotunbot Co), the RT-G is no mere flash in the pan, mind you. This spherical speedster can hit a rather nippy 35 km/h (that’s roughly 22 mph, if you’re counting) across both terra firma and the wet stuff, effortlessly navigating muddy patches and even small drops, all thanks to a rather nifty internal gyroscopic stabilization system. Its sensor suite is quite the kit, boasting GPS, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors, all working in concert for pinpoint navigation and keeping a beady eye on its targets. And when it comes to bringing its targets to heel, this orb isn’t mucking about. It’s armed with a veritable arsenal of non-lethal options, including tear gas, smoke bombs, and – wait for it – even net shooters. Talk about a sticky situation. While it’s currently a remote-controlled affair, the boffins behind it are already dreaming of future versions that’ll be fully autonomous. Gulp.
So, why should we give a monkey’s?
The Rotunbot, dear reader, represents nothing short of a seismic shift in the design philosophy for law enforcement robotics. While other nations are still faffing about with humanoid patrollers, like the rather dapper Shenzhen Police Partner with T-800 Humanoid Robot , the RT-G has cut to the chase (pun absolutely intended). It’s a purpose-built pursuit machine, putting raw speed and go-anywhere capability head and shoulders above a familiar bipedal form factor. Its spherical design, admittedly looking rather like a prop from a particularly ambitious, low-budget sci-fi flick, actually offers some smashing practical advantages in mobility and sheer durability. Now, let’s be clear: this isn’t about giving officers the heave-ho. Rather, it’s about deploying a highly specialised bit of kit for those blistering high-speed chases in complex environments where your bog-standard police car – and perhaps even human officers – would struggle to get a look-in. The era of the high-speed, rolling law enforcement drone has, rather brilliantly, and quite literally, rolled into town.
