Check out Spot the robot dog patrolling the ancient city of Pompeii

Virgin Radio

31 Mar 2022, 13:32

This looks barking mad. A robot dog called Spot is being used to protect the streets of Pompeii to guard the area and take care of the archaeological park. 

Spot the robot dog's job is to inspect the ancient city's streets and tunnels at night and when it's closed. The camera enables it to record and share a live feed of images so people can monitor it off-site.

Spot is 'capable of inspecting even the smallest of spaces while gathering and recording data useful for the study and planning of interventions', park authorities said.

The aim is to 'improve both the quality of monitoring of the existing areas, and to further our knowledge of the state of progress of the works in areas undergoing recovery or restoration, and thereby to manage the safety of the site, as well as that of workers'.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii archaeological park, said: “Technological advances in the world of robotics, in the form of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, have produced solutions and innovations typically associated with the industrial and manufacturing world, but which until now had not found an application within archaeological sites due to the heterogeneity of environmental conditions, and the size of the site.

“Often the safety conditions within the tunnels dug by grave robbers are extremely precarious, and so the use of a robot could signify a breakthrough that would allow us to proceed with greater speed and in total safety,” said Zuchtriegel.