Photo: Courtesy of Massachusetts State Police
BARNSTABLE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Law enforcement officers used a "robot dog" to track an armed suspect barricaded inside a house in Barnstable March 6, Massachusetts State Police said Wednesday.
"Roscoe" is a SPOT four-legged robot. The Boston Dynamics device weathered three gunshots during its prowl around the home, MSP said on Meta.
"In addition to providing critically important room clearance and situational awareness capabilities, the insertion of Roscoe into the suspect residence prevented the need, at that stage of response, from inserting human operators, and may have prevented a police officer from being involved in an exchange of gunfire," MSP said.
Roscoe climbed stairs, opened doors and righted itself when the suspect knocked it over. The robot lost communications when the suspect shot it, MSP said.
Photo: Courtesy of Massachusetts State Police
MSP's bomb squad owned two SPOT robots before the operation.
Roscoe's operator returned the device to Boston Dynamics earlier this month. The company can patch the robot's bullet wounds, MSP said.
The bomb squad is looking into buying another SPOT device so Boston Dynamics can keep Roscoe for research.
Listen live to WBZ NewsRadio for the very latest.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok