SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Robot dogs could soon be patrolling the southern border.
The mechanical quadrupeds are just one of the technologies showcased this week at the country’s largest border security exposition by innovators hoping to get the attention of federal border and immigration officials looking to invest.
The annual event, the Border Security Expo, draws representatives from dozens of local, state, federal, and international law enforcement and military agencies. It also gives law enforcement a chance to scope out emerging technology and allows exhibitors to hear what kind of products the government is looking for.
Despite the Biden administration’s opposition to a border wall and canceling billions of dollars of projects funded during the Trump administration, the Border Security Expo’s two-day conference saw its highest-ever attendance, tripling its 500 attendees in 2018 to 1,500 this year. The event was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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In previous years, attendees have been able to watch as drone “guns” take down rogue drones in the air, climb 30-foot ladders as tall as the border wall, see 200-pound guard dogs demonstrate their security skills, and test out hybrid coal-mining vehicles. This year, three booths featured unusual products: robotic dogs, waterproof notebooks that make writing in the rain a possibility, and an armband capable of sending an electric shock to anyone who makes contact with the person wearing it.
Robotic dogs on the border
Ghost Robotics showcased a 100-pound four-legged robot that resembles a large dog. This quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicle, known as Vision 60, is capable of marching six miles in just about any type of terrain and it can sit in one spot for up to 21 hours.
“You can put everything from chemical biological nuclear sensors on it to thermal cameras to your name,” said Chief Marketing Officer Michael Subhan.
On display at the largest US border security conference:
Robotic dogs by @Ghost_Robotics — they’ve snagged a lot of attention from attendees at the @Border_Security Expo.
Border Patrol has purchased an undisclosed number following a successful pilot program.#TechNews pic.twitter.com/4jqak0ISQb
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) March 30, 2022
The robots can be outfitted with night vision cameras or infrared cameras that detect body heat and are able to carry anything attached to their backs. The operator can control the robot via remote from up to two miles away or do so from a control center.
The DHS last year began trying out the robot under a pilot program and has since purchased an undisclosed amount. Subhan said he could not reveal details of the contract.
Waterproof paper for taking notes
Rite in the Rain is a Pacific Northwest-based company that started a century ago with the goal of making it possible to write on paper in a wet climate.
“It was actually invented by a lumberjack that got frustrated because he was going out in the forest and his paper was falling apart,” said Debra Johnson, government sales manager. “So he started dipping pieces of paper in wax and hanging them one by one in his basement on a clothesline. And it just kind of morphed from there to the product than it is today.”
Its notebooks and shooting targets are ideal for Border Patrol agents who may need to take notes while outside in the field or who go to the gun range for mandatory practice.
“They’re in conditions that are dirty, grimy. They’re out in the conditions at all times so they need — when they’re writing down notes, maybe they’re writing coordinates on a map — they need to keep that data protected. And that’s exactly what our paper does. It protects everything that they write down,” Johnson said.
The waterproof papers are available through the General Services Administration for purchase by federal agencies and are already used by the Border Patrol, Coast Guard, and other DHS agencies.
Hands-free self-defense
The Armstar is a self-defense system that is worn on the forearm and allows the person wearing it to deliver a 750k volt shock to an attacker. Chief Innovation Officer Tylor Garland described it as a wearable tactical response system and demonstrated how the arm band’s stun capacity, LED flashlight, green laser pointer, and HD camera function.
By consolidating the tools into an armband, it cuts down the weight on a belt by 50%, freeing up the user.
“What we’re trying to do is take a lot of the weight that’s on [law enforcement officers’ belts] and make it wearable, lighter, and more integrated,” Garland said.
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The California company is in talks with federal agencies about creating versions of the Armstar that are tailored to law enforcement needs.
