The Singapore Prison Service has developed an autonomous robotic unit, named PROTECT, to strengthen surveillance and help officers respond to incidents, as part of a broader push to bring new technology into its institutions.
In a statement last Friday, the Singapore Prison Service said the robot, stands for Prisons Robot To Eradicate Conflicts and Threats (PROTECT), was built jointly with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX).
Standing 157 centimeters tall and weighing 510 kilograms, it can support officers in supervision, surveillance, and incident response.
PROTECT can patrol predefined routes autonomously, using AI-enabled navigation to detect and steer around obstacles, while an anti-tampering system alerts officers to any interference or damage. Officers at the Correctional Unit Control Center keep oversight and can take remote control when needed.
During patrols, the robot streams live video and audio to the control center, extending surveillance beyond areas covered by fixed closed-circuit cameras.
When incidents such as altercations between inmates are detected, an officer at the control center can deploy PROTECT to the scene for a near 360-degree live view, with two-way audio to issue verbal commands remotely, the service said.
Should inmates fail to comply with lawful instructions, an officer may remotely activate the robot’s interdiction tools — a long-range acoustic device, a light-distraction device or an irritant spray — under established rules of engagement, allowing a progressive and proportionate response.
The prison service said the approach let officers respond to incidents quickly while reducing the need to enter an incident area immediately, improving officer safety. Officers can retain full responsibility for all operational decisions and follow-up actions.
The prison service said PROTECT was part of a broader technology-transformation strategy to deploy new capabilities across its institutions, with new systems fully tested before integration.
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