Amazon has launched Astro for Business, a security robot available for purchase at $2,349.99, designed to patrol businesses autonomously or via remote control. Equipped with an HD periscope camera with night vision, Astro offers a 24/7 live view and two-way talk. Amazon also offers three subscription services, including Virtual Security Guard for $99 a month, which notifies Ring's Rapid Response agents of suspicious activity. Astro for Home, a similar robot for residential use, is available by invite only.
New York City has introduced a 420-pound security robot, the Knightscope K5, to patrol the Times Square Subway Station as part of a two-month pilot program aimed at enhancing subway safety. The robot, equipped with cameras, will record video for emergency or crime situations and has a button to connect users to a live person for assistance. It will not record audio or use facial recognition technology. Trained officers will accompany the robot, which will operate between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. After the pilot program, the city will evaluate the robot's effectiveness and determine its future use.
New York City officials have unveiled three new high-tech policing devices, including a robotic dog named Digidog, a GPS tracker for stolen cars, and a cone-shaped security robot. The devices will be deployed in a transparent and consistent manner, according to police Commissioner Keechant Sewell. The 70-pound Digidog will be used in risky situations like hostage standoffs, while the tracking system called StarChase will allow police to track stolen cars. Civil libertarians and police reform advocates have criticized the move, calling it an overspending of the NYPD's budget.
