Knightscope

student research summary by: Brayden G.

Knightscope - K5 model

Physical description:

-Bullet-shaped

-5 ft tall

-Twin light panels 2/3 way up body

Function:

-Patrols

-Charges autonomously

-Detects crime using various sensors (video camera, thermal imaging sensors, laser range finder, radar, air quality sensors and a microphone.)

-Detects abnormal noise, temperature change, known criminals

-Can alert authorities

Mobility:

-moves 1-3 mph

-mapping software to create geo-fenced perimeter to stay in one area

-creates point cloud to show a 3d image of surroundings in geo-fenced area

-ultrasonic sensor to detect objects in surrounding area and movements of its wheels

How it works:

-360 degree high definition video capture

-Microphone captures audio. 80-90 decibels is normal, if it suddenly goes above 100 decibels, it alerts authorities.

-Ultrasonic detects speed and distance during patrol

-infrared light can function at night, and collects about 90TB of data per day.

-LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) emits a laser that sweeps 270-degree to measure objects and map the surrounding area

-thermal imaging measures minute temperature differences 24 hours a day

-optical character recognition scans up to 1,500 license plates per minute, alerts law enforcement if it finds a license for a criminal on a “hot list”

The Knightscope K5 is a robot created by Knightscope Inc. that is designed as a means of autonomous security. It is bullet-shaped in appearance, and is 5 feet tall with two light panels two thirds of the way up its “body.” This robot is capable of patrolling an area, usually and preferably outside, to detect any source of unusual/suspicious activity. The Knightscope K5 is able to move 1-3 miles per hour It uses various sensors to achieve this. This includes the use of: a video camera, thermal imaging sensors, a laser range finder, radar, air quality sensors, and a microphone. The robot will patrol its assigned area using these sensors to gather data, and if anything is found suspicious, it is able to alert authorities. The Knightscope K5 is also able to find its way back to a charging station autonomously when it is low on charge.

This robot is very complex in the amount of resources and sensors it uses. The video camera captures a 360 degree radius of high definition video footage. The microphone detects audio, and determines whether or not something exceeds the “normal” decibel reading. Eighty to ninety decibels is considered to be a “normal” range, while if anything suddenly exceeds 100 decibels, it alerts authorities. It uses ultrasonic scanning to determine its speed and distance from objects. The infrared light allows the robot to function at night, and collects about 90 TB of data per day. LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is utilized to emit a laser, scanning 270 degrees to measure objects and map the surrounding area, and it uses a mapping software to create a geo-fenced area it knows to patrol within. The thermal imaging is able to measure minute temperature differences 24 hours a day. Finally, the optical character recognition scans up to 1,500 license plates per minute, and can alert authorities if it finds the license plate of a criminal on a “hot list.”

While this robot appears to be incredible at security, and it certainly is, I do not think I would buy this robot myself. This is simply because of a breach of security. This robot, if charged and functioning, is effectively recording everything around it. This happens both visually and audibly. This just feels like too much too much of a sacrifice for this amount of security, especially considering the fact that my father is a police officer with a trained K-9 in our backyard.

Overall, the Knightscope K5 is an incredible robot, and definitely shows what the future of robots can become. It is already in use in multiple establishments, and is very effective at its job. The intricacy of its components is even more amazing to me. However, despite the effectiveness of this form of autonomous security, I doubt I would ever buy one myself. I am not willing to sacrifice that much in privacy even to get this level of security.