Robot dog on virus park patrol in Singapore

SINGAPORE: A yellow robot dog called Spot which found fame online for dancing to hit song "Uptown Funk" has been deployed to patrol a Singapore park and ensure people observe social distancing.

The hi-tech hound is remote-controlled and can clamber easily over all types of terrain, which its creators say means it can go where wheeled robots cannot.

As it trots through the park, Spot -- who has the same name as the popular fictional puppy -- uses cameras to estimate the number of visitors. And the robot blasts out a message to ensure joggers and walkers keep their distance to limit the spread of the coronavirus: "For your own safety and for those around you, please stand at least one metre apart. Thank you."

Spot, which is being trialled over a three-kilometre (1.8 mile) stretch of the park, also has sensors to ensure it does not bump into people. Developed by US company Boston Dynamics, Spot is best known for a video where the robot showed off its moves by bopping to Mark Ronson hit "Uptown Funk" -- and which has been viewed over 6.8 million times on YouTube.

On a recent outing, curious onlookers stopped to watch Spot as the four-legged invention passed by and snap pictures on their phones.

Gu Feng Min, a visitor from China out for a walk, said the robot was "cute" and useful as a way to "determine how crowded the place is". Others had misgivings, however.

"I think it’s really going to be chilling in a way -- something is looking around and I’m not sure how it’s going to react to me when I go near it," local resident Simon Neo said.