Police in Charleston, W.Va. have received permission from their city council to purchase a robot that will be able to open doors and assess dangerous situations. The robot will cost more than $35,000 and is being funded by a grant from the federal government.
In explaining why his department wants the robot, Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster cited a 2013 incident in which a local attorney repeatedly fired a gun inside his house for several hours. After the attorney accidentally injured himself, the situation was resolved peacefully — sans robot.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 evergreen cartoons about Trump annexing GreenlandCartoons Artists take on changing priorities, taking a putt, and more
-
The New Jersey 'UFO' drone scareIn the Spotlight Reports of mysterious low-flying aircraft provoked outlandish theories, but old-fashioned hysteria appears to have been to blame
-
Elon Musk's support for AfD makes waves in GermanyTalking Point The tech billionaire has faced a vocal backlash after backing far-right movement shunned by mainstream parties
-
Appeals court kills FCC net neutrality ruleSpeed Read A U.S. appeals court blocked Biden's effort to restore net-neutrality rules
-
Judge rejects Elon Musk's $56B pay package againSpeed Read Judge Kathaleen McCormick upheld her rejection of the Tesla CEO's unprecedented compensation deal
-
DOJ seeks breakup of Google, ChromeSpeed Read The Justice Department aims to force Google to sell off Chrome and make other changes to rectify its illegal search monopoly
-
Racist texts tell Black people in US to prepare for slaverySpeed Read Recipients in at least a dozen states have been told to prepare to 'pick cotton' on slave plantations
-
Australia proposes social media ban before age 16Speed Read Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
-
FTC bans fake online product reviewsSpeed Read The agency will enforce fines of up to $51,744 per violation
-
Is the world ready for Tesla's new domestic robots?Talking Points The debut of Elon Musk's long-promised "Optimus" at a Tesla event last week has renewed debate over the role — and feasibility — of commercial automatons
-
States sue TikTok over children's mental healthSpeed Read The lawsuit was filed by 13 states and Washington, D.C.
