A new startup wants to replace the nightstick-wielding security guard with an artificial intelligent robot that can roam an office space for intruders and safety hazards.
Palo Alto-based Cobalt Robotics recently unveiled its device that's essentially an indoor robot security guard. It's designed to patrol a space and flag anything that's out of the ordinary, like water leaks, windows and doors left ajar, and suspicious items in a room.
Operating similarly to a driverless car, Cobalt's robot moves autonomously through an office space. It has more than 60 sensors, including LiDAR, thermal, depth sensors, ultrasound and cameras to detect people and objects around it. The goal isn't to totally replace human security guards, Cobalt says, but to work alongside human guards to help them make better decisions. The startup told TechCrunch that often companies can't afford to have enough human guards to patrol every floor of a building, and Cobalt can help "fill in the gaps."
Cobalt recently announced its seed round, which was co-led by Bloomberg Beta and Chicago's Promus Ventures.
In an email, Promus said that Cobalt robots "create a far safer and secure environment for company personnel and facilities," adding "we are privileged to help this fantastic team develop robots for enterprise security that are designed to work alongside humans."
Built by SpaceX and GoogleX vets, Cobalt's robots can interact with employees via a touchscreen display, detect carbon monoxide and smoke, and automatically assess maintenance or service issues.
Check out the video below to see Cobalt's robot in action.
Cobalt - Indoor Security Robots from Cobalt Robotics on Vimeo.
