Robots that act somewhat like RoboCops are here. Actually, they have been around for at least a decade. However, the technology is newly emerging in many parts of the United States. These robot security guards will soon be deployed in New York City at the Times Square Subway Station after appearing in a pilot mission last September. And similar robots are already on patrol in cities around the country.
In the last few years, AI has taken off into uncharted territory, and these robotic security robots have been using it all along. They aren’t run by remote control but use AI to navigate fully autonomously as they monitor every detail around them.
In appearance, these RoboCops look more like droids from the Star Wars universe than humanoids. But these are the early days, so who knows what may be coming down the road? Although these five-and-a-half-foot tall, 400-pound robots can’t do what they do in science fiction movies, they operate nonstop, taking no breaks. They also don’t need meals, although they do need to charge themselves up at a dock.
RoboCops Patrol All Year at All Hours
As you would expect, a robot’s salary is far less than what a human security person needs to make a living. For example, Knightscope says their Autonomous Robots can work for anywhere from 75 cents an hour to $9 an hour, depending on the machine and functionalities.
As with so many other AI uses, it’s more than a little concerning for human employees to think about losing their jobs to robots. Likewise, privacy advocates worry that these robots will use invasive technologies such as facial recognition software. Indeed, Knightscope’s website suggests these robots can identify people designated as potential trouble-makers.
“We are a physical deterrents for illicit activities, force multipliers for your team, and we look out for known threats like terminated employees, criminal trespassers, and even domestic abusers that may try to cause a disturbance with your employees,” the website states.
The droids are called “absolute data geeks” and are capable of recording 90 terabytes of data a year, which can be downloaded and kept indefinitely. So, who has access to all that data, anyway?
Will RoboCops Replace Human Security Guards?
Will human security guards be replaced? Some certainly will but not entirely; the robots function more like 24/7 surveillance or ‘mobile cameras’ and a visual deterrent. If an arrest is required, the robot has to call in human backup, at least until this technology advances a lot. (!) Today, they go about 3 miles per hour and have no arms, so picture one making an arrest.
Regardless, these droids will help many people feel safer when they see them on patrol. And they might scare off criminals.
There’s No Rolling Back Now
Will this kind of technology bring us to a future where people’s lives are improved, like in the Jetsons? Or will it be more about control and profits for a few?
As with the rollout of AI in general, it seems that human motivations haven’t been fully considered or have been largely ignored. Instead, there’s a corporate focus on profits and data collection, whether or not that impacts individual privacy or the human workforce negatively.
For example, according to one report, artificial intelligence (AI) could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs. Nevertheless, the technology is going forward, for better or worse. There’s no rolling back now!
But when will we have robots that help us live happier lives without being harnessed to the corporate treadmill? Could the robots help people like R2-D2, or will they act more like the Death Star Droid? As always, it’s all up to the programmers. (At least until the robots start programming themselves, anyway.)
Rudy the RoboCop?
Here’s one of the RoboCops on the job in the Seattle area, named Rudy after a real-life security dog. Unlike a canine, Rudy can scan license plates in 360 degrees and can pick up WiFi signals in the vicinity. If the robot detects intruders, it alerts security dispatch.
Will Rudy replace human guards? The president of Security Services says it’s more of an enhancement, but KING 5 notes he said, “It can cut down on security officers.” And that’s no surprise since it can operate for half the cost of a human officer. Do the math.
“It doesn’t get sick; it doesn’t fall asleep, and it doesn’t ask for PTO,” said Joe D’Amico.
Video by KING 5 Seattle:
K5 Soon to Patrol New York City
The RoboCop soon to patrol Times Square is called K5 and will have ‘NYPD’ in bright blue letters on the side. Mayor Adams says this robot will work for below minimum wage, thus bringing cost savings to the city budget.
“I’ve gone a long way from being a transit cop to being next to a robot,” said Mayor Eric Adams.
According to NBC New York, police say K5 won’t record audio or use facial recognition software. But if anybody plans on attacking the robot, they can “prepare to be identified and arrested,” says Chief Michael Kemper.
Featured image: Mayor Eric Adams with K5 via YouTube/NBC
Video by NBC New York:
