Home improvement retailer Lowe’s is testing the use of Knightscope K5 security robots to reduce crime around select stores. Although the world isn't ready for RoboCop patrol teams, robotics companies are building a portfolio of automated security solutions. Beyond protection, robots are now being used to handle food deliveries and self-driving cars. Last year, Uber and Motional started a robotaxi service in Las Vegas, bringing an autonomous taxi experience to customers.
A Business Insider report reveals that Lowe's has launched multiple pilot programs involving Knightscope’s K5 robots. The reason, according to Insider, stems from rising theft complaints from customers. Lowe’s kickstarted the initiative in Philadelphia and has extended the tests to some stores in Washington State, North Carolina, California, and Washington D.C. The K5 is easily distinguishable thanks to its egg-shaped exterior. While the K5 isn't armed, Knightscope has equipped it with features like thermal anomaly detection and ramp accessibility to boost surveillance within the area of operation.
Optimizing Surveillance Via Automation
The K5 robots can be an effective way for operators to gather information about suspicious characters. It can share live footage of the patrol site to connected smartphones and PCs. The K5 comes with a slew of cameras and sensors which not only ensures it doesn't bump into people or objects, but also comes in handy for “people detection” during periods where movement is limited. This could be at nighttime or days when the area is closed to activity. When people are detected during off-hours, the K5 robot issues a warning through an inbuilt P.A. speaker.
The robot also has a license recognition and signal detection system designed to alert security if it detects the plate number or phone signal of a suspicious individual. The robot can function for between two and three hours before needing a charge. When the battery needs to be juiced up, the K5 robot handles the task independently and returns to action after 20 to 30 minutes. It has a weatherproof design, allowing it to be used in both summer and winter.
Knightscope’s K5 has been in the headlines before, but for the wrong reasons. In 2016, a K5 robot famously knocked-down and ran over a toddler in a shopping mall. The following year, another K5 charged into a water fountain in what was termed a suicide dive. However, investigations from Knightscope claimed an algorithm mistake was responsible. Although Lowe's use of Knightscope security robots is currently an experiment, the level of mistrust in autonomous machines remains high, and that's unlikely to change if people know they're being monitored.
Source: Business Insider