Robots with ability to stop fights at prisons to be deployed from Oct: Singapore Prison Service
During the trial from October to January, there will be a robot each at three different institutions.
In a bid to enhance prison safety and reduce violent incidents, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) will deploy a 510kg pepper spray shooting robot named Prisons Robot To Eradicate Conflicts and Threats (PROTECT) from October. The three-meter-tall machine, developed by SPS in collaboration with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), aims to ensure the security of both inmates and officers and allow for quicker incident response.
Demonstrated at Changi Prison Complex in September, the robot operates remotely and has been shown to tackle simulated prisoner fights by spraying water upon detecting an altercation. Once a potential conflict arises, the robot issues a warning to inmates to move, before deploying pepper spray for approximately 20 seconds, up to a distance of five meters, before officers intervene.
The robot offers live streaming video and audio to the Correctional Unit Control Centre. Currently in the development stage, the PROTECT robot cannot autonomously identify situations and act upon them. It is equipped with artificial intelligence to differentiate between humans and navigate around obstacles. During the three-month trial, three PROTECT robots will be stationed at three undisclosed SPS institutions.
HTX's lead engineer from Robotics, Automation & Unmanned Systems Centre of Expertise, Peng Chongtian, emphasized that the PROTECT robot is the first of its kind in Singapore, specifically designed to meet the SPS' requirements. The SPS reported a surge in assault incidents in prisons, with the rate increasing from 54.4 per 10,000 inmates in 2024 to 76.7 in 2025.
This rise is attributed to the growing number of young offenders and remand prisoners who often face adjustment challenges, impulsive behavior, and are prone to violence in disputes with fellow inmates. SPS has implemented measures such as inmate reporting, anti-violence programs, and video analytics to detect and curb prison violence.
Amid the rise of new technologies, SPS confirmed that officers will continue to be at the forefront of prison operations and decision-making.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
