Robots of New York

Posted April 18, 2014 By Caroline Anderson

The tentative agreement between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the union representing its workers has thrown the spotlight back on the ongoing contract negotiations between the city and its civil servants.

The dispute has stretched on for years as the 152 unions, which represent approximately 300,000 workers, demand billions of dollars in retroactive raises.

But part of the workforce at some of these agencies have not been part of the negotiations. That’s because they don’t get paid. And they don’t talk. They are robots.

Let’s take a look at some integral members of city government who are not usually in the public eye.

Image courtesy SuperDroid Robots

SuperDroid LTF

Employed by: New York City Fire Department

Maker: SuperDroid Robots

What it does: Takes photos in collapsed buildings to assist with searches; takes metered readings during HazMat operations.

Special features: Remote control with joystick and touch screen, thermal camera, camera with 27x zoom, camera for reversing out of tight spaces.

The FDNY asked SuperDroid Robots to make the department a custom robot after extensive testing starting in 2011, including a four-day trial at the Disaster City simulation training center in Texas. The city paid $99,790 for the robot, which was delivered on June 30, 2013.

Andros HD-1

Employed by: New York City Police Department

Maker: Remotec at Northrop Grumman

What it does: Handles suspected bombs

Features: Weighs 245 pounds; fiber optic cable; can run for up to four hours; able to move through sand, mud and snow; can climb stairs at angles of 45 degrees or more; moves at 4.3 miles per hour or more.

The NYPD is upgrading two of its Andros HD-1 robots, which are the same robots shown in the first few minutes of The Hurt Locker. They will be getting new radios and new arms “that are more dexterous and capable of lifting more weight,” according to Matthew McQueen, a spokesman from Northrop Grumman. “With these upgrades, we’re giving the NYPD’s HD-1 robots HD-2 capabilities.”

Photo: Health and Hospitals Corporation

Robot-Rx

Employed by: Metropolitan Hospital

Maker: Originally manufactured by McKesson; now made by Aesynt

What it does: Dispenses medication

According to the brochure for Robot-Rx, “The system can operate without continuous attendance, allowing pharmacy staff to multi-task and perform other, higher-value duties.” It also says that “ROBOT-Rx handles more than 90 percent of medications dispensed from central pharmacy, including tablets, capsules, vials, ampoules, syringes and other odd form medications.”

Mailbot (retired)

Employed by: Department of Housing Preservation and Development

What it does: Delivers mail

HPD paid $19,170 to Mail Finance, Inc. to lease an “automated mail tracking system” that delivered letters and packages to its employees from 2007 to 2011, according to CheckbookNYC.

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<h1>Robots of New York</h1><p>The tentative <a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/nyregion/after-2-years-mta-and-union-close-in-on-a-new-contract.html');"  href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/nyregion/after-2-years-mta-and-union-close-in-on-a-new-contract.html">agreement</a> between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the union representing its workers has thrown the spotlight back on the ongoing contract negotiations between the city and its civil servants.</p>
<p>The dispute has stretched on for years as the 152 unions, which represent approximately 300,000 workers, demand billions of dollars in retroactive raises.</p>
<p>But part of the workforce at some of these agencies have not been part of the negotiations. That’s because they don’t get paid. And they don’t talk. They are robots.</p>
<p>Let’s take a look at some integral members of city government who are not usually in the public eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_13600" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-13600" class="size-medium wp-image-13600" alt="FDNY-5" src="http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/FDNY-5-300x193.png" width="300" height="193" srcset="thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/FDNY-5-300x193.png 300w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/FDNY-5-464x300.png 464w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/FDNY-5.png 580w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-13600" class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy SuperDroid Robots</p></div>
<h3>SuperDroid LTF</h3>
<h4>
<p>Employed by: New York City Fire Department</p>
<p>Maker: SuperDroid Robots</p>
<p>What it does: Takes photos in collapsed buildings to assist with searches; takes metered readings during HazMat operations.</p>
<p>Special features: Remote control with joystick and touch screen, thermal camera, camera with 27x zoom, camera for reversing out of tight spaces.</p>
</h4>
<p> </p>
<p>The FDNY asked SuperDroid Robots to make the department a custom robot after extensive testing starting in 2011, including a four-day trial at the Disaster City simulation training center in Texas. The city paid $99,790 for the robot, which was delivered on June 30, 2013.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Andros HD-1</h3>
<h4>
<p>Employed by: New York City Police Department</p>
<p>Maker: Remotec at Northrop Grumman</p>
<p>What it does: Handles suspected bombs</p>
<p>Features: Weighs 245 pounds; fiber optic cable; can run for up to four hours; able to move through sand, mud and snow; can climb stairs at angles of 45 degrees or more; moves at 4.3 miles per hour or more.</p>
</h4>
<p> </p>
<p>The NYPD is upgrading two of its Andros HD-1 robots, which are the same robots shown in the first few minutes of <i>The Hurt Locker</i>. They will be getting new radios and new arms “that are more dexterous and capable of lifting more weight,” according to Matthew McQueen, a spokesman from Northrop Grumman. “With these upgrades, we’re giving the NYPD’s HD-1 robots HD-2 capabilities.”</p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_13604" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-13604" class="size-medium wp-image-13604" alt="Photo: Health and Hospitals Corporation" src="http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rx-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rx-300x225.jpg 300w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rx-400x300.jpg 400w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rx.jpg 580w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-13604" class="wp-caption-text">Photo: Health and Hospitals Corporation</p></div>
<p> </p>
<h3>Robot-Rx</h3>
<h4>
<p>Employed by: Metropolitan Hospital</p>
<p>Maker: Originally manufactured by McKesson; now made by Aesynt</p>
<p>What it does: Dispenses medication</p>
</h4>
<p> </p>
<p>According to the brochure for Robot-Rx, “The system can operate without continuous attendance, allowing pharmacy staff to multi-task and perform other, higher-value duties.” It also says that “ROBOT-Rx handles more than 90 percent of medications dispensed from central pharmacy, including tablets, capsules, vials, ampoules, syringes and other odd form medications.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92344993" height="667" width="500" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h3>Mailbot (retired)</h3>
<h4>
<p>Employed by: Department of Housing Preservation and Development</p>
<p>What it does: Delivers mail</p>
</h4>
<p>HPD paid $19,170 to Mail Finance, Inc. to lease an “automated mail tracking system” that delivered letters and packages to its employees from 2007 to 2011, according to CheckbookNYC.</p>

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