Autonomous K5 security robot patrols a California business; will someday replace human guards

What’s 300-pounds, five-foot-tall, and shiny? No, not your average Walmart customer, but a robot security guard that bears an uncanny resemblance to Dr. Who’s xenophobic Daleks. K5, as the robot is called, will someday take your job — if you work in security. K5 was designed by Knightscope, a California-based startup, to monitor corporate and college campuses, shopping malls, and schools. It will not bark commands in a heavy German accent (although I wish it did) or “encourage you” with cow-prongs, but scout the premise for suspicious activity and report its findings back to a security center.

Above: Dalek 

Since 2013, Knightscope has designed and built seven K5 prototypes, but now, four of the units will be deployed will conduct field tests by acting as security guards at a nearby not-yet-disclosed tech company. 

Let’s be clear on one thing: K5 does not violently subdue intruders. The robot is designed to perform reconnaissance using a bevy of cameras, sensors, and navigation equipment. For instance, four high-definition cameras placed on each side of the robot grant it a complete 360-degree field of view, while a license-plate reading camera notes the plate numbers of any getaway vehicles or gatecrashers. K5 detects audio traces using four microphones, and a weather sensor checks the barometric pressure, carbon dioxide levels, and temperature for whatever reason. The data is wirelessly communicated over Wi-Fi to a control center where an operator monitors the feed or dispatches commands.

 
K5 uses a combination of GPS and laser ranging instruments to follow the course of its patrol and avoid obstacles along the way. But before it can conduct a patrol, the robot must first be given a tour of the premise to acclimate to the new location. Once patrolling commences, K5 will monitor its battery life and automatically roll on over to a charging station whenever it’s low, taking only 15 to 20 minutes to refuel before resuming its patrol. The charge is said to last 24 hours.

If an intruder attempts to detain the unit, it will chirp a low-level alarm alerting the monitoring center. And if interference persists, K5 with sound off an ear-piercing alarm warble while simultaneously prompting an operator to scope out the situation using any of the robot’s sensors. By contrast, should someone need the robot’s assistance, a button near the top of its head will summon help immediately.

With so few units actually in existence, it’ll be quite a long time before robotic guards replace the flesh-and-blood variety. Quite a long time actually, considering one million of them are employed in the U.S. alone, according to last year’s estimates by the U.S. Department of Labor’ Bureau of Labor Statistics. As for the cost of running these robots? Knightscope says it’ll cost approximately $6.25 an hour, which is roughly half the cost of the average security guard’s hourly wage.

Source: MIT