- California police department subscribes to Knightscope K5 robot.
- K5 combines self-driving technology, robotics and artificial intelligence.
- K5 robot is a crime-fighting autonomous data machine.
- Knightscope design makes K5 “people-friendly.”
A recent recruit to California’s Huntington Park Police Department (“HPPD”) didn’t graduate from the Police Academy. Instead, the patrol officer is a product of Silicon Valley company Knightscope. The 400-pound security robot, dubbed “HP RoboCop,” joined the police force in June 2019 and has been patrolling the city of Huntington’s 23-acre Salt Lake Park ever since. Its presence has had a marked effect that may point the way to how policing is carried out in jurisdictions across the nation. After deployment “911” calls fell by 46 percent and citations issued fell by over 68 percent (https://ibn.fm/PKnPg).
While Alex Murphy, the original Robocop, was a fearsome figure, HP Robocop is quite the opposite. Its sleek appearance is deliberate. Not to be seen as intimidating or out of place has been the design aim. Just like the cops pounding the beat, HP RoboCop’s presence is expected to deter criminal activity. But the robot’s communications capability, the record of events it can store and its unflagging energy (robots don’t get tired) takes policing to another level.
The HP RoboCop is actually Knightscope’s K5 model security robot. It has numerous sensors that make it capable of detecting faces, license plates and even smartphone activity. Once gathered, the data can be checked against security databases. For example, a “white list” of license plates will show vehicles with no known security issues. A “grey list” will show vehicles that have had security issues or that have restricted entry. And a “black listed” vehicle — one that is prohibited — will instantly alert control personnel to possible trouble.
Such early alerts could save lives. A review of the mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, led the International Association of Chiefs of Police (“IACP”) to conclude that had police reached the scene just 60 seconds earlier, they could have saved at least 12 more lives than they were able to. Indeed, the Robocop idea took shape after the Sandy Hook tragedy.
The K5 is more about reconnaissance than confronting law breakers. Its prime function is to act as the “ears and eyes” of the police force. “The only way to gain accurate intelligence is through eyes and ears,” says Stacy Stephens, Knightscope executive vice president and chief client officer (https://ibn.fm/K95aU).
That accurate intelligence is exactly what Knightscope’s K5 security robot provides. The K5, designed for outdoor use, combines self-driving technology, robotics and artificial intelligence to create what Knightscope refers to as a “crime-fighting autonomous data machine” (https://ibn.fm/kNU5x). For indoor use, Knightscope has developed the K1, a stationary robot that can be used at entrance and exit points.
The K5 has been warmly welcomed by the Huntington community. Visitors to and workers at Salt Lake Park, where it is deployed, seem reassured by its presence. In fact, the Robocop has gained celebrity status. Shops report an uptick in business as curious sightseers descend on the park to take selfies with the robot. Rather than being scared or irritated by the K5s, humans are delighted by the idea of robot policemen. It may not be too long before a K5 pounds the beat in your neighborhood.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Knightscope.com.
Visit www.Knightscope.com/invest for a summary of Knightscope as an investment, with a blue “Instant Messaging” button for direct contact with the company CEO.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Knightscope are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/Knight
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