Microsoft Enlists K5 Robot Security Guards in Sign of the Future

It seems science fiction has actually met reality with robots being latest additions to the security force at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus. Microsoft has enlisted the robots, known as K5s, to help ensure safety on campus. There’s no artificial intelligence here, and the robots aren’t armed with weapons. Which begs the question, how do they protect or deter crime?

The robots are equipped with alarms, HD sensors, microphones, heat detectors and cameras. The computer software giant is hopeful that just having them around to monitor and record people’s behavior will keep them honest in a less threatening environment.

They also come standard with GPS, speakers, Wi-Fi and weather sensors. If they “detect” trouble, they send a signal back to the command post. From the command post, security officers can monitor and respond to the activity quickly.

It not only has the ability to sense and report possible crimes, it can record the incidents making them great recall witnesses. They can record the GPS location of the incident, and record over 300 license plate numbers in the area for use in the investigations.

With a battery life that lasts over 24 hours and the ability to navigate around obstacles in an ever-changing human environment, the robots are on the cutting edge. They are programmed to a perimeter, and the only time they stray from their assigned positions is if they get the signal that battery life is low, prompting them to return to base to recharge.

These 300 pound high tech gadgets are in the testing phase, with the Microsoft campus being their first live testing grounds. While it remains to be seen if they will effectively deter incidents, they are hoping to prove they can be useful in the field.

Makers of the robots, Knightscope, see a future where their invention is monitoring everywhere–corporate offices, shopping malls, campuses, residential neighborhoods and even parks and recreation spaces.

So what will happen to security jobs and the jobs of the men and women in blue? Hopefully, robots will partner with them and while it may cost some “beat” jobs if the robots are successful, it may open up other possibilities for jobs in these fields. They may also provide all night coverage for areas where it may be too dangerous to place foot officers and assist them in monitoring and prosecuting offenders.

There are some amazing things going on with robots these days, and this is another one of them. The future is near with four of the seven test robots starting live operations in the next few months ,when we’ll all get to see just how good these robots are.