NYPD's 'Digidog' returned, 'put down' after viral outrage

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Abstraction: NYPD cancels Boston Dynamics robot dog pilot amid public backlash

Key points:

NYPD terminated a $94,200 contract with Boston Dynamics and returned "Digidog" following viral outrage over videos showing the robot at hostage negotiations and armed standoffs
Pilot was originally scheduled to run until August but was cut short; critics questioned the robot's role in police reform and whether it functioned as a surveillance drone
NYPD officials argued the robot's purpose was officer safety and that it was cheaper than other robots already in use
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio called the robot "creepy" and "alienating"; a mayoral spokesperson said it "sends the wrong message to New Yorkers"
Robot first publicly shown in December 2020 and received national attention on CBS 60 Minutes

Connections: Boston Dynamics · Nypd · Police Robotics · Surveillance Technology