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IN IMAGES: AI ‘robodog’ starts to police the streets of Spain’s Málaga

Police in Málaga are testing out an AI 'robot-dog' to monitor reckless electric scooter riders in pedestrian areas, the first of its kind in Spain.

Published: 20 March 2024 12:34 CET
IN IMAGES: AI 'robodog' starts to police the streets of Spain's Málaga
It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm AI-powered. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

Local police in Málaga have turned to a new sort of colleague to help them monitor reckless scooter riders in pedestrian areas of the city: a Robocop pooch.

Walking on four legs and weighing 35kg, the robot is equipped with artificial intelligence technology but was remotely controlled during its trial phase. It was designed at the nearby University of Málaga (UMA).

The police robot being tested in a street of Málaga by the city’s local police. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

The robot has a blue light on its back to signal that it’s doing police work, and is equipped with video technology that can detect obstacles.

A team of 40 engineers have been working on the design of Málaga’s robodog cop for over two years. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

It can also carry pre-recorded messages, either to warn that access to a street is restricted, for example, or to reassure the public that help is on the way in the case of an accident.

It is designed as a “support element for the police” and can record video and analyse it in real time, as well as “detect pre-configured situations of problems on roads” and alert on emergency situations, according to Pedro Merino, director of UMA’s Institute of Software Technology and Engineering.

A crowd of curious bystanders gathers to take photos of the newest policía in town. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

When out and about in Málaga city centre on Tuesday, a local rode his scooter at full speed along the pedestrian walkway and the robot warned him: “It is forbidden to use scooters in this area”.

READ ALSO: The new rules for e-scooters in Spain in 2024

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ECONOMY

Madrid approves sale of Vodafone’s Spanish unit

Spain's government has approved the sale of British mobile phone giant Vodafone's Spanish division to investment fund Zegona for up to €5.0 billion.

Published: 15 May 2024 09:16 CEST
Madrid approves sale of Vodafone's Spanish unit

Digital Transformation Minister José Luis Escrivá said Madrid had given the green light because the London-based fund has committed to “a very substantial investment plan in the telecommunications sector over the medium term, in both fixed and mobile telephony”.

Vodafone announced in October that it had reached a deal to sell its Spanish business to Zegona, which was founded by two former Virgin Media executives, as part of its efforts to streamline its European operations under pressure from shareholders.

Under the terms of the deal the investment fund will pay Vodafone €4.1 billion ($4.4 billion) in cash, and up to 900 million shares in Zegona, which is listed in London.

The deal is expected to be completed at the end of May, Vodafone said in a statement.

The company said it now plants to start a €500-million share buyback programme on May 15th as part of its plans to return €2.0 billion to shareholders over 12 months.

In a further streamlining, Vodafone in June agreed to merge its British operations with Three UK, owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, to create Britain’s biggest operator with 27 million customers and accelerate rollout of faster 5G connectivity.

The group, which has more than 300 million mobile customers in Europe and Africa, is heavily focused on accelerating rollout of 5G in the UK.

At the end of 2022, Vodafone unveiled a huge deal with investment firms GIP and KKR to form a joint venture that would maintain its majority stake in European masts division Vantage Towers.

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