ORLANDO, Fla. — Soon, guests strolling through Orlando’s theme parks might find themselves walking alongside an unusual companion: a robotic security guard.
If the machine is from Robotic Assistance Devices, as CEO Steve Reinharz hopes, it won’t be easily mistaken for a person. Shaped more like the Mars Rover than the humanoid T-800 from “Terminator,” ROAMEO 2.0 — short for the Rugged Observation Assistance Mobile Electronic Officer — stands 6 and a half feet tall and gracefully cruises on four wheels despite its 750-pound mass.
But as these machines begin patrolling at amusement parks, they raise questions about employment, security and ethics. Though experts say robocops won’t be taking human jobs anytime soon, they acknowledge their use has to be closely monitored.
