An autonomous robot called Knightscope has begun patrolling the Old Fourth Ward area of Atlanta, which has seen a string of violent crimes over the past seven months. The robot, which is 5’6” tall and weighs 425 pounds, is designed to make the area safer.
It monitors what is happening on the street and if something happens, it passes the information to the police. Knightscope does not collect personal information from residents.
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Subscribe to the NewsletterThe area will now be patrolled by an autonomous robot called Knightscope. This robot does not require human intervention, monitors incidents and reports them to the operational security center. It will operate in test mode for several weeks while it is being configured.
Knightscope robots began working back in 2015. These robots do not collect personal information. They only read publicly available data.
“If you are in a public place, it is like being caught on a CCTV camera in a store or a bank,” explained Knighscope executive vice president Stacey Stevens.
Residents speak positively about the robot’s work and do not express concerns about a possible breach of their security. They note that, given the recent increase in crime, the issue of privacy has faded into the background. Currently, security is a priority for them, and the robot helps ensure it.
Atlanta City Councilman Amir Farokhi said he hopes a new autonomous robot will help reduce crime in the busy area.
Farokhi admitted that he was initially wary of the idea because neither the police nor the city had any experience with this type of technology. But he now believes that this is the beginning of a new era in public safety and that more robots like this will be used in the future.
