Scientists have developed a robot that can make sure groups of people are abiding by social distancing rules when they are indoors. Researchers at the University of Maryland built a machine that uses CCTV cameras and thermal imaging to determine if people are staying six feet apart, and if someone in a group is potentially sick. The cameras monitor crowds, and will be able to detect when two individuals have been near each other long enough to trigger a break in protocols, and potentially inform them. The team hopes that this type of surveillance will help health officials with contact tracing and assist organizers of some indoor events with controlling crowds and ensuring compliance. A Maryland team created a robot that uses CCTV cameras to detect when people are breaching Covid social distancing protocols.