CHINA
The AnBot that patrols Henan’s Zhengzhou East Railway Station can monitor air quality, detect emergencies like fires and use facial-recognition technology to follow potential criminals.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
These 8-ft.-tall solar-powered machines help police direct traffic in the capital of Kinshasa.
U.S.
This “bomb robot,” which touts an explosive device on its arm, was used by Dallas police in 2016 to kill a gunman suspected of fatally shooting five officers.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024
- Inside the Rise of Bitcoin-Powered Pools and Bathhouses
- How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
- What Makes a Friendship Last Forever?
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- Your Questions About Early Voting , Answered
- Column: Your Cynicism Isn’t Helping Anybody
- The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024
Write to Julia Zorthian at julia.zorthian@time.com