Stacy Stephens

Part 6 of our Robots in Security series Later this year Universal Protection Service will begin offering a new autonomous robot to customers in California The next security guard you see may look more like R2D2 than Paul Blart, Mall Cop. Robots are starting to make their way into the offerings of security companies, and they may give guards a whole new image. Later this year Universal Protection Service — a division of Universal Services of America — will begin offering a new autonomous robot to customers in California. This Machine as a Service will feature robots manufactured by Knightscope, a security technology company based in Mountain View, California. The bots won’t replace human security guards, but they will free them from some of the boring and low level work — such as staring at monitors — that has long been the bane of the profession. That will allow people do higher-level jobs require decision making and judgement. “It goes to the broader growth of security as a profession and the broader growth of using technology for gathering information” “It goes to the broader growth of security as a profession and the broader growth of using technology for gathering information,” explains Mark McCourt, Vice President, Enterprise Security Services at Universal Protection Service. “It’s about being more predictive vs. reactive in security.” Providing actionable intelligence One of the great challenges of security at every level has been access to the right information at the right time.    “The autonomous data machine is a very unique and powerful way to have a set of eyes, ears and even noses,” says McCourt. “It can do a number of things that are really a force multiplier to collect data in its surroundings and send that data into that central location or operations centre where analysts can review it.” Knightscope was founded by Stacey Dean Stephens, a former law enforcement agent, and William Li after the Sandy Hook mass shooting. A report had found that if officers had been able to get into the building a minute sooner more than a dozen lives could have been saved. Robots equipped with cameras and sensors can provide actionable intelligence that can speed the deployment of law enforcement. These devices – which are essentially at eye level, also offered the prospect of better images than those provided by stationary mounted CCTV. These robots will be particularly useful in high-crime areas where constant monitoring is essential He came up with the idea to build a predictive network to prevent crime using robots. The units collect data using 360-degree high-definition and low-light infrared cameras and built-in microphones that can also be used two way communication. The system can identify suspicious sounds such as breaking glass and send an alert to the security network. Depending on your age and pop culture background, Knightscope’s K3 and K5 machines will remind you of the friendly Star War’s R2D2 or the not-so-friendly Daleks of Dr. Who fame. The design is more a case of form follows function than trying to emulate a pop culture icon, according to Stephens. Vertical markets The company has been marketing the machines to office buildings where the larger outdoor-oriented K5 units function as security assistants. Customers include a number of Silicon Valley tech companies and yes, even a local mall. The deal with Universal marks a big step toward making the robots more widely available. “In Silicon Valley we have all these autonomous vehicles running around logging more than half a million miles,” notes Stephens. “Why not make an automatous robot using the same technology that they use to navigate busy streets?” The new K3 model now in development is designed for indoor use, while the larger K5 operates outdoors within fenced areas such as parking lots. Much like the systems used on self-driving cars, the robots are equipped with 19 lasers that can create a 3D image of their surroundings. They also have the ability to recognise anomalies such as an open door or gate and send an alarm to central dispatch. Companies leading the way At Universal company officials recognised it was good time to become the leader in offering a robot option to customers. "The autonomous data machine is a very unique and powerful way to have a set of eyes, ears and even noses"  “The technology has come a long way,” says McCourt. “Price points have come a long way and so economically it makes sense now to give it a try.” These robots will be particularly useful in high-crime areas where constant monitoring is essential. They also offer a deterrent that has previously only been provided by uniformed security. At more than five and a half feet tall and 300 lbs., the machines are easily seen. Gliding across a parking lot with lights flashing, they can be startling.    Just as Universal sees benefits in being first, Knightscope is also an early offering in the robot space. “Knightscope is the only company with a working security application-focused ADM,” says McCourt. “We’ve met with a lot of companies and seen a lot of prototypes, and there will be many more machines rolling off the assembly lines for demonstration and testing.” If robot security continues to grow as the experts are predicting, the company will be looking at other models to meet customer needs, he adds. “We’re talking to customers who demoed it and looked at it and who really kicked the tires and the acceptance and satisfaction rate was very high,” said McCourt. Catch up on our Robots in Security series here

Robots such as those designed by SMP Robotics can handle a variety of tasks ranging from perimeter fence monitoring to snow removal Robots come in all shapes and sizes from small tracked vehicles to large upright cylinders and cart-like devices on wheels. They fly through the air and glide underwater. They’re becoming familiar sights and will become more so. The future of robots in the military, public safety and security is expanding for some very good reasons. The new crop of robots enhances security and safety and does a better job than human security personnel. Technology is improving rapidly. Robots are getting smarter as lasers, cameras and other sensors enable them to “see” where they’re going and report back on what they observe to background networks. Factors driving robotics Crime rates have fallen in recent decades for a variety of reasons, but one big one is better technology, according to Brian Higgins, founder and president of Group 77, a security and public safety consulting firm. “As robotics continues to advance at the pace we have seen recently, we’ll learn new ways that robotics will integrate into security" “The growth and influence of technology in law enforcement (has changed) how crime is handled and the reduction in certain crimes,” he says. “As robotics continues to advance at the pace we have seen recently, we’ll learn new ways that robotics will integrate into security and public safety that we cannot even fathom.” One factor driving robotics is the promise of better monitoring of facilities than can be provided by stationary CCTV. Robots equipped with cameras, lasers and other sensors offer a much more eye-level view of a situation. As they move around an area such as a perimeter fence, they can recognise anomalies such as an open gate or an object that shouldn’t be there. Movable cameras “The problem was very simple – how to make cameras movable,” explains Leo Ryzhenko, CEO of SMP Robotics Systems Corp. “The problem is if you have 200 cameras, it’s an expensive project just to keep them (operational). Second is you need people, a lot of people, just to watch monitors. Often, these people are not doing the job. It’s impossible for humans to look at 200 cameras.” Ryzhenko decided that mobile robots were the best solution for getting cameras off of poles and walls and close to the action. “Cameras should be movable, and they have to be clever enough to find out who is a real intruder or just a stray dog,” he explains. “The camera should communicate very well with the security guy. The whole idea of the security robots is not to replace security guards, but to provide an additional layer of security.” Knightscope's robots collect data using 360-degree high-definition and low-light infrared cameras and built-in microphones Rising demand for mobile video surveillance SMP Robotics started to design its machines in 2009 because of a growing demand from the security services sector for mobile video surveillance operation at large facilities. The main goal was to create and expand a market segment with a new class of compact autonomous commercial robots, according to Ryzhenko. These machines, which are built in Russia, can handle a variety of tasks ranging from perimeter fence monitoring to snow removal and mosquito spraying. With access to robots equipped with cameras and sensors, police could have gained actionable intelligence to speed the deployment of law enforcement Another maker of Autonomous Data Machines is Knightscope. The company was founded by Stacey Dean Stephens, a former law enforcement agent, and William Li after the horrific Sandy Hook school shooting. One of their motivations was a report that had found if officers had been able to get into the building a minute sooner more than a dozen lives could have been saved. Arriving officers had no direct intelligence about the shooter and where in the building he was located. With access to robots equipped with cameras and sensors, police could have gained actionable intelligence to speed the deployment of law enforcement. Stephens came up with the idea to build a predictive network to prevent crime, using robots. The units collect data using 360-degree high-definition and low-light infrared cameras and built-in microphones that can also be used for two-way communication. The system can even identify suspicious sounds such as breaking glass and send an alert to the security network. Today, the company’s five-foot-tall, 300-pound cylindrical bots patrol Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus among other tech companies around the area. The machines, which resemble a crew of friendly Daleks [of Doctor Who fame], have even been deployed at a local mall. Read Part 2 of our Robots in Security series here Save