A police robot has been deployed to patrol areas of Tunisia's capital, Tunis, to ensure that people are observing a coronavirus lockdown.

If it spies anyone walking in the largely deserted streets, it approaches them and asks why they are out.

They must then show their ID and other papers to the robot's camera, so officers controlling it can check them.

This is the second week of a nationwide lockdown to contain the virus, which has killed 14 people.

Everyone must stay in their homes, but people are allowed out for medical reasons or to purchase necessities.

The North African nation currently has 436 people being treated for Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus.

The manufacturer, Enova Robotics, told the BBC it was a confidential matter. It also refused to reveal the price tag.

A four-wheeled PGuard has a thermal-imaging camera and Lidar (light detection and ranging) technology, which works like radar but uses light instead of radio waves.

The interior ministry posted a video on Facebook about its futuristic mission to impose the restrictions not long after the lockdown started.

Some welcomed the move, while others said the robot "moved too slowly" to be effective.

Before coronavirus swept the world, Enova's clients were largely private firms, its chief sales officer Radouhane Ben Farhat told me.

The firm, which has its headquarters in the coastal city of Sousse, also produces a "healthcare" robot, he said.

It can give a preliminary visual diagnosis and use its sensors to measure certain things - and one will be soon be working at a hospital in Tunis.

This would help minimise physical contact between medics and patients with Covid-19, Mr Farhat said.

Robotic technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly being used during these exceptional times as has been seen in China, which has used disinfecting robots and thermal camera-equipped drones amongst other gadgets to fight coronavirus.
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-africa-52148639?__twitter_impression=true


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiwSPo_GbqM

I still wonder why the call these people Africans. Their character differ

The robot be like , Hey you, what are you doing outside when there is lockdown? Oya run back to your house now...

fairfora:
I still wonder why the call these people Africans. Their character differ

What do you mean by differ from Africans?
SMH, Inferiority complex, you literally just tried to shame your whole continent.

sweettease:

What do you mean by differ from Africans?
SMH, Inferiority complex, you literally just tried to shame your whole continent.

Hey,, nothing like inferiority complex here.. Those people don't see themselves as Africa.

sweettease:

What do you mean by differ from Africans?
SMH, Inferiority complex, you literally just tried to shame your whole continent.

I disagree with u, this is not inferiority complex or trying to shame the continent called Africa, what I think he is saying is given the level of advancement of some of these African nations especially the northern part they could pass to be called European nations.

The truth has to be told here, over here in Nigeria we have a long way to go ..we just need to wake to our responsibities especially our leaders.

I expected a man like robot.

Cool anyway.

Nija my country release your own too. Made from aba robot.

Or innoson robots

fairfora:
I still wonder why the call these people Africans. Their character differ

they are nothing better than us,infact we overrate north Africa too much,southern Africa is far ahead of them in the north.

sweettease:

What do you mean by differ from Africans?
SMH, Inferiority complex, you literally just tried to shame your whole continent.

You misunderstood him

How are you dear?

I'm waiting for our own Nigerian robots
Or
We use the African technology

Imagine police robot and here in my country we still import pencil hummm nawa ooo giant of Africa indeed

If it was Naija:
1. The Federal Government will take two years to establish a committee to buy the robot.
2. The committee will inflate the price by 9000% and end up buying a fake robot for less than 10% the original price.
3. On the robot's first patrol, it will mysteriously vanish into thin air, (only for you to find the parts in Ladipo Market).
4. The Federal Government will launch a high-powered probe to investigate the disappearance of the robot.
5. After two weeks, nobody will remember we ever had a robot or why it was bought.

The age of AI is gradually approaching. If these deployment are impactful, they'll be used in crisis management henceforth.

But I don't know how soon e go enter Naija because of N50 checkpoint pass

omoiyamayor:
they are nothing better than us,infact we overrate north Africa too much,southern Africa is far ahead of them in the north.

By killing others blacks

chriskosherbal:
I disagree with u, this is not inferiority complex or trying to shame the continent called Africa, what I think he is saying is given the level of advancement of some of these African nations especially the northern part they could pass to be called European nations.

The truth has to be told here, over here in Nigeria we have a long way to go ..we just need to wake to our responsibities especially our leaders.

Exactly my point! You think nothing that good can come out of the continent and when it does, its unafrican.

hakeemhakeem:


By killing others blacks

I said southern Africa not south africa