Ai Dreams Forum

Robotics => Robotics News => Topic started by: Art on February 17, 2015, 05:54:40 pm

Title: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Art on February 17, 2015, 05:54:40 pm
New robots patrol for security in Silicon Valley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpnGwqu7BVQ#ws)


Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Ultron on February 18, 2015, 09:59:45 am
Over-advertising moving cameras? Where is the innovation in this? Is it in the design based on movies?

Just cameras on Roombas in my eyes.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Don Patrick on February 18, 2015, 05:44:23 pm
They have a wide range of sensors and can produce a nerve-wrecking alarm to scare off offenders, their AI is said to be able to distinguish between rowdy teens and burglars, but basically they are patrolling cameras designed to replace human nightwatch guards. The design was just, well, designed this way for aesthetic and practical reasons (e.g. no protruding bits that can get stuck or hurt people), it's not based on R2D2 or Dahleks, or they probably would have known better. It doesn't have to be particularly novel if you can sell it.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: 8pla.net on February 18, 2015, 06:48:02 pm
Quoted from to the CBS This Morning news report as a CSV file for discussion...

See:  0:09 / 0:25 of YouTube video.


Code
ID,   Type,                 Zone,  MIN
101,  Stolen license plate, KHQ, MIN 3
100,  Stolen vehicle plate, KHQ, MIN 3
 99,  Unauthorized person,  KHQ, MIN 3
 98,  Parking violation,    KHQ, MIN 3
 97,  Broken door,          KHQ, MIN 3
 96,  Violence,             KHQ, MIN 3
 95,  Unauthorized vehicle, KHQ, MIN 3
 94,  Fire,                 KHQ, MIN 3
 93,  Door open,            KHQ, MIN 3

Apparently, it has a license plate reader, which is usually associated with fines.

_____________________
(Edited to add information.)
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Freddy on February 18, 2015, 06:54:01 pm
Over breakfast one day, the chief Professor looked at his salt and pepper shakers and thought 'I know, I have an idea !'.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Ultron on February 18, 2015, 08:12:42 pm
8planet, is that actually a log from these watchers? If so, then I guess I have underestimated their 'intelligence', but they are still not innovative...still just a network of sensors bundled with a nice program (which is btw, a combination of existing technologies).

But I don't see what makes it hard to disable them from a distance. Also I can imagine they would be as loud as a turbine (they look heavy so I assume they have a big motor) and this is not good for security - the attackers would be aware and if they have a serious target they will find an easy way to disable them. It should scare off some small-time criminals tho.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: 8pla.net on February 18, 2015, 09:13:33 pm
It is not your fault, Ultron7... The YouTube video is only about 25 seconds long.  I should have cited the time reference.  Also, I am not sure you underestimated them. They may be less than "cameras on Roombas". 

Please reference the YouTube video starting at: 0:09 to see the source of the information.    Good catch!  Citing a video is different than citing text. I've updated my original post to better cite the information for other readers.

Thanks!
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Freddy on February 18, 2015, 10:02:38 pm
I think in areas where people want more police this might be a possible aid.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: 8pla.net on February 18, 2015, 10:53:48 pm
The media may tend to exaggerate danger and cause panic needlessly, just to trick us into staying tuned in.  Not to disparage CBS News, they almost all do it...  But  this news clip reminds me of the type they keep saying is coming up next, but then they wait all the way to the last minute of the broadcast, to show a thirty second clip.  I never liked that cheap ratings tactic.

Watching the videos on the Knightscope company website, solely for the purpose of discussion, I extrapolated a microcontroller being programmed with a laptop, on a mobile platform that is two wheel drive (two differential drives) with two caster wheels, and a chassis for mounting sensors and hardware.  I think the CEO, Mr. Bill Li does a pretty good job promoting this robot product.  Here is a reference to the company:  Knightscope:  http://knightscope.com (http://knightscope.com)



Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Art on February 19, 2015, 12:10:15 am
Good link 8pla.net!

The skeptics in the crowd should read through the FAQ on the site. Provided the overall worthiness of the device, it should be rented on a 1,2 or 3 year basis and for somewhere around $6.25 / hour!
That's a pretty good price for a watchman so well equipped and doesn't require health care, vacations, sick days, leave, etc.

While no one system is totally foolproof, it might certainly act as more of a deterrent than oh...I don't know...cameras on roombas, although that's not a bad idea either and way cheaper! ;)
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: 8pla.net on February 19, 2015, 02:37:55 am
Yeah, in my personal opinion, I'd like to see Knightscope successful.  I was almost going to mention this before, but "cameras on Roombas" may be taken as a compliment, or a sign of good luck.  Wow! Surprised that the iRobot company, which makes Roombas, has been around for 25 years.

The truth is, a Roomba is a convenience.   All I can say is it cleans the house, which creates happiness.   And, yes, Roombas do have cameras of sorts, (not really a camera, but maybe even better for privacy concerns) a special infrared add-on that steers it from one room to the next, so it can vacuum the whole house.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Don Patrick on February 19, 2015, 05:57:37 am
Quote from: Art on February 19, 2015, 12:10:15 am
That's a pretty good price for a watchman so well equipped and doesn't require health care, vacations, sick days, leave, etc.
Well, that depends whether you're counting regular maintenance and repairs as sick days.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Art on February 19, 2015, 10:07:04 am
@ Don -  ;D ;)
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Art on February 19, 2015, 10:20:27 am
Actually the iRobot company, makers of Roomba, also have a variety of other bot types, floor mopping, cleaning out rain gutters (although products like Gutter Guard, Gutter Helmet and others are a simple, one-time installation and require basically no maintenance), tele-presence for video conferencing, searching, military and law enforcement use bots.

It's a shame that they still use the old "Bumping into stuff" technology when built-in laser scanning is so much more efficient as in the Neat-O brand of floor vacuuming bots.

Overall, I'd say it sucks! ;)
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Ultron on February 19, 2015, 12:41:55 pm
It's actually pretty cool of the company to have added the K5 as one of the team members on their website.
Regarding the $6.25/h price, won't pay off for private use, whereas companies in most cases actually require a real guard that can also come in handy physically when there is a situation, and in my country it is also a cheaper solution to have the real thing :P

And I still don't like the egg-y look, no matter what everyone claims!
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Don Patrick on February 19, 2015, 07:27:45 pm
Well, I never said I liked the design. It's better than most robot designs I've see (not including fiction), but it's... uninspired. Functional with default modern white & curvature.

I've been wondering... How does a round Roomba vacuum square corners?
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Art on February 20, 2015, 01:34:34 am
I guess it has to REALLY SUCK!! Oh...I mean, possibly with those long side rotating brushes that "sweep" debris to the front or something like that.
At least my Neat-O does have a square front, turns nicely to handle corners rather well!

It also uses laser mapping technology to detect where it's been and where it needs to go. It uses the lasers to detect objects in it's path as well so it doesn't have to Bump into things in order to navigate! Go Neat-O!!

It's been a family member and my wife's electronic assistant sharing the task of vacuuming!
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Ultron on February 20, 2015, 11:26:55 am
While a cool toy to have and very educative project to make, having a future with such machines is not as good as it may look...

Laziness begins from one thing and expands throughout our lives.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: 8pla.net on February 20, 2015, 02:41:56 pm
@Ultron7:  More often than not, today's students... Don't even know how to read handwriting, written in script!
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Ultron on February 20, 2015, 07:14:59 pm
I guess we have to cope with that. Maybe one day a genius will find a way to reverse that process, because I am completely out of large-scale ideas on that topic.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Art on February 21, 2015, 03:02:07 pm
With all due respect, it is NOT out of laziness that I purchased my Neat-O vacuum cleaner. It was purchased to help my wife who is suffering with a lot of ailments. She is not able to lug the upright vac constantly up and down the stairs to the family room in order to vacuum the carpet.

After months of research and comparisons, I decided on getting a Neat-O robotic vacuum to help her. I still work full time and often from dark to dark, depending on the project. The Neat-O actually picks up debris that the upright missed. It hardly needs maintenance other than to empty it's dust/debris bin. It can recharge itself as needed, operate on a preassigned schedule or on demand, eats very little electricity, doesn't require breaks like holidays, sick days, vacation days, etc. My wife loves me for buying it for her and it for the great job it does!

So, if using technology makes us lazy, then I guess we're lazy. If technology helps make us more productive, free to pursue other avenues then so be it.
One man's tech is another man's shackle.
Title: Re: The Daleks...I mean the K-5's are here or at least in silicone valley, for now!!
Post by: Ultron on February 21, 2015, 03:47:17 pm
I didn't say we are trying to make tech that can do some jobs because we are lazy - we make this tech because it can help (as you said) with making us more productive and letting us focus, among other things. But the problem is that most tech is not used as intended. Sorry if this discussion somehow insulted you.

I would like to say one thing, however. I have learned this from my senpai during training. After long seminars it's the youngest (in rank) members that can remain(if they want) after it ends to clean to dojo. In Japan (well, 'medieval' Japan anyway) being allowed to clean the dojo was considered an honor and the thought and believed that when you are cleaning the dojo you are in fact cleaning your heart, but provided that what you do is done with love.

These people had a very deep philosophy which we have a hard time understanding today. Cleaning a dojo can for one mean cleaning your heart from your ego and bad thoughts.

So maybe my point was that maintaining our homes is a natural thing and that we should not step away from our 'natural' chores because through them we form a stronger connection with people, our homes and nature.

I do agree however that technology should help people with physical problems and those who need to focus on other things (maybe those who overwork and need to maintain a house on their own) but it is definitely not meant for everyone.