Security Guard Robots Spark Debate

In response to the shootings at Sandy Hook, a California technology company created Knightscope, a 5-foot tall security robot.

In response to the shootings at Sandy Hook, a California technology company created the Knightscope K5 Autonomous Data Machine, a 5-foot tall security robot.

The company’s co-founder said the mechanized guard can fill in where human surveillance isn’t available or feasible.

According to the Knightscope website, the machine rolls around and collects data that’s, “…processed through our predictive analytics engine, combined with existing business, government and crowdsourced social data sets, and subsequently assigned an alert level that determines when the community and the authorities should be notified of a concern.”

There are a lot of people who are less than thrilled with its capabilities and recommended uses.

Some fear that it’s yet one more technology that will further drain the already shallow pool of job opportunities available to many.

Based on its price, the robot ends up working for less than minimum wage.

The privacy-minded are also not on board with putting the machine in public spaces.

In fact, one civil liberties advocate called the robot,”R2-D2’s evil twin”.

The company has countered these concerns by framing Knightscope as an opportunity for people to pursue more involved, analytic-based jobs. They’ve also said it’s more like Batman than it is Big Brother.