Traffic Control Robots
THE CONGO ROBOT POLICE SOLVING TRAFFIC PROBLEMS
In the chaotic streets of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, home to some nine million residents, ear shattering honking, overlapping to cut through traffic and road accidents are the norm. At major intersections in Kinshasa, towering aluminium robots stand and have been hailed for the smooth flow of traffic and protection of pedestrians. The eight foot tall robotic police weighing 250kgs are equipped with four high definition digital cameras set in their eyes and shoulders that record every activity in the roads and transmit the video live to a central police command. They are also fitted with green and red signal lights on each hand to easily control traffic by raising their hand, and a rotating chest that allows them to record every road activity. With an integrated audio recording and broadcasting system the robots have also been designed to talk and sing by broadcasting in a synthetic voice.