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Title: 5-foot-tall ‘Robocops’ start patrolling Silicon Valley
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://rt.com/usa/207395-robocop-security-silicon-valley/
Published: Nov 20, 2014
Author: RT
Post Date: 2014-11-20 14:50:15 by Jethro Tull
Keywords: None
Views: 86
Comments: 9

5-foot-tall ‘Robocops’ start patrolling Silicon Valley

Published time: November 20, 2014 17:08

Phorto from knightscope.com

Phorto from knightscope.com

Autonomous “Robocop”-style robots, equipped with microphones, speakers, cameras, laser scanners and sensors, have started to guard Silicon Valley.

The security robots, called Knightscope K5 Autonomous Data Machines, were designed by a robotics company, Knightscope, located in Mountain View, California.

The robots are programmed to notice unusual behavior and alert controllers. It also has odor and heat detectors, and can monitor pollution in carpets as well. Last but not least: with cameras, the Robocops can remember up to 300 number plates a minute, monitoring traffic.

It works like this: someone steps in front of a robot, which stops and moves around the person while sending video to a control center. If a burglar doesn’t leave, then “the robot is looking at the video, listening for glass breakage, any loud sound that breaking in would cause. We'll get the license plate, picture of the vehicle, geotag location, and time,” says project co-founder Stacy Stephens.

The robotics company says that it will be placing the robots in patrol malls, offices, and local neighborhoods, as well as outdoor spaces like corporate campuses, college campuses and open air malls. Knightscope said that future growth opportunities include areas in schools, hotels, auto dealerships, stadiums, casinos, law enforcement agencies, seaports and airports.

The estimated crime reduction in the area would be by 50 percent with robots involved, the company claims.

Reportedly five K5 robots have been deployed to patrol in the San Francisco Bay Area. Including the Knightscope’s headquarters the robots are also guarding an “undisclosed” location in Silicon Valley, KPIX-TV reported.

The robot is 1.5 meters (5 feet) high and weighs about 136 kilograms (300 pounds), representing a combo of laser scanning, wheel encoders, inertial measurements, and GPS.

It’s also built with a button on its head for human enquiries.

“Imagine a friend that can see, hear, feel and smell that would tirelessly watch over your corporate campus or neighborhood, keep your loved ones safe and put a smile on everyone passing by,” the company says on its website.

”Imagine if we could utilize technology to make our communities stronger and safer…..together,” the firm added.
The robots are autonomous and have been developed to function with any interference from the people, and to avoid confrontations.

The robotics company also responded to fears that no human power will be needed in security.

“I believe robots are the perfect tools to handle the monotonous and sometimes dangerous work in order to free up humans to more judiciously address activities requiring higher-level thinking, hands-on encounters or tactical planning,” the statement in the Knightscope blog read.

So far, people have been treating the robot very nicely, seemingly not quite understanding its functions, Stacy Stephens told CBS.

“The vast majority of people see it and go, ‘Oh my God, that’s so cute.’ We’ve had people go up and hug it, and embrace it for whatever reason,” she said.

If someone decides to attack the robot, though, the result would be first “a loud chirp,” and then louder and louder sounds. “A very, very loud alarm. Think of a car alarm but much more intense,” said Stephens.


Poster Comment:

Love it!!! (1 image)

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#1. To: Jethro Tull (#0)

Season's open.

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken

Lod  posted on  2014-11-20   17:16:33 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Jethro Tull (#0)

How long until some teenagers start tipping them over for cheap thrills??

 photo 001g.gif
“With the exception of Whites, the rule among the peoples of the world, whether residing in their homelands or settled in Western democracies, is ethnocentrism and moral particularism: they stick together and good means what is good for their ethnic group."
-Alex Kurtagic

X-15  posted on  2014-11-20   17:45:44 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: X-15 (#2)

DARPA has much meaner and more lethal versions.

The Truth of 911 Shall Set You Free From The Lie

Horse  posted on  2014-11-21   0:00:49 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: X-15 (#2)

The batteries will go dead in a few hours.

"Have Brain, Will Travel

Turtle  posted on  2014-11-22   21:25:18 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: Jethro Tull (#0)

On the bright side, They wont Beat people for the fun of it. Does anyone else think they look like daleks?

______________________________________

Suspect all media / resist bad propaganda/Learn NLP everyday everyway ;) If you don't control your mind someone else will.

titorite  posted on  2014-11-22   23:19:57 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#6. To: titorite (#5)

They wont Beat people for the fun of it

Well, that would depend on the programmer, right?

Jethro Tull  posted on  2014-11-23   10:07:02 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#7. To: X-15 (#2)

How long until some teenagers start tipping them over for cheap thrills??

Like cow tipping :)

Jethro Tull  posted on  2014-11-23   10:07:50 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#8. To: Jethro Tull (#7) (Edited)

Better yet, a college fraternity will "adopt" one for their own devious mischief. Just think, attach a drink tray, hack the electronics to make it roam the room like a Roomba Vacuum and you have the ultimate panty-dropper at a fraternity/sorority mixer!!!

These stupid toys are just begging to be abused :)

 photo 001g.gif
“With the exception of Whites, the rule among the peoples of the world, whether residing in their homelands or settled in Western democracies, is ethnocentrism and moral particularism: they stick together and good means what is good for their ethnic group."
-Alex Kurtagic

X-15  posted on  2014-11-23   11:46:46 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#9. To: X-15, JT, 4 (#8)

There should be a competing robocop maker for civilian use...correctly equipped and reasonably priced, I'd buy one.

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken

Lod  posted on  2014-11-23   12:25:47 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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