New Robotic Security Guards to Patrol Microsoft Campus

New robotic security guards to patrol Microsoft campus

While the neighborhood isn’t exactly as dangerous as the post-apocalyptic landscape Robocop patrolled in future Detroit, Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus is getting its own security robots.

The new, five-foot-tall bulletheaded robots, looking something between a cross from R2D2 from Star Wars and EVE from Disney’s WALL-E, are packed with scanners and cameras to keep an eye on the Microsoft campus.

Created by a company known as Knightscope, these not-so little bits (which weigh in at around 300 pounds each) go by the name of K5.

So what can a K5 security bot do exactly?

Well each one patrols its assigned area, using its onboard sensors and cameras to look for anything out of place.

Each K5 robot has  HD video capture capabilities from all angles around them, can r ecord high quality audio to go with the video, and they each have detecting equipment for sniffing out chemical and biological agents.

The robots can also read license plates and analyze visitors using facial recognition software.

Of course, these security guards aren’t about to collar any trespassers; not only do the K5 units not sport any weapons, they’re literally unarmed.

About as dangerous as a Dalek without its plunger, the most K5 can do is to activate its annoying onboard alarm – and send an alert to an actual real human security guard to intervene.

Nearby individuals in need of help can also call out to one of the robots to contact emergency services as well, adding to their functionality.

Source: betawired.com
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