Search dogs get high-tech replacement

Search dogs will no longer be used to search landslide sites, with "robot dogs" set to take their place.

Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun wrote in his blog yesterday that the robots, which are trained with artificial intelligence, know how to recognize their surroundings and avoid trees and obstacles.

They can also go deep into landslip sites or environments that are difficult to reach, allowing surveys of rugged hillsides or harsh environments. Cheung Ping-yip, department head of the Civil Engineering and Development Department's Geotechnical Engineering Office, said the robots are equipped with data collection equipment and 5G transmission technology.

The technologies allow the robots to send real-time images taken in the field to engineers so they can assess the risks and come up with solutions quicker, Cheung said.