| Bill Smart is an assistant professor of computer | | | | security and self-defense. |
| science and engineering at Washington University in St. | | | | ActivMedia Robotics of Peterborough, NH, |
| Louis, MO. With his Ph.D. student Doug Few, he is | | | | manufactures a number of "security robots." PatrolBot |
| working on the next generation of military robotics. The | | | | and similar mobile sensing and surveillance systems |
| U.S. military has apparently set the year 2020 as the | | | | function as back-ups to other, fixed systems, while |
| goal for having 30% of the Army composed of robotic | | | | providing additional, supplemental data, too. In many |
| forces. | | | | cases, PatrolBot can deploy sensors that are either |
| Neither the researchers nor the military envisions | | | | too rarely used or too costly to install in permanent |
| squadrons of combat-ready "clones and drones" a la | | | | locations around a facility. |
| Star Wars or Isaac Asimov. Rather, Professor Smart | | | | Facilities managers at a Hewlett-Packard server facility |
| explains, they are talking about "self-driving trucks," | | | | need a 3-D thermal map of the building space, for |
| bomb-sniffers and other support systems that are | | | | example. If they install temperature sensors all over the |
| more accurately referred to as "autonomous systems | | | | building, it could interfere with people's mobility, so |
| rather than robots." | | | | PatrolBot carries a sensor-laden pole to map the |
| Rosie the Robot Maid A number of different | | | | temperature in the facility at specified intervals. An |
| technologies converge in the design and development | | | | added advantage of robots, in these sorts of settings, |
| of robotic military systems. Night-vision "eyes," | | | | is that they operate autonomously, make retrofitting |
| ultrasensitive microphone "ears" and other sensors | | | | the facilities unnecessary and can handle various |
| picking up sound, heat signatures and even smells | | | | emergencies without endangering people. |
| transmit back to an operator in a remote location. With | | | | On patrol Roanoke, VA-based Cybermotion |
| a computer, a screen or two, and a joystick, the soldier | | | | manufactures the Cyberguard line, originally introduced |
| at the controls has a high-tech scout, bomb squad, | | | | in the mid-1990s. The units can be equipped with |
| cargo carrier and intelligence gatherer all in one. | | | | various sensors - environmental, infra-red, thermal, etc. |
| When he thinks of "the future of robots," says Ph.D. | | | | - and an array of cameras that relay real-time video |
| candidate Few, it is always about "the Jetsons. | | | | by radio or Wi-Fi back to a central command location. |
| George Jetson never sat down at a computer to task | | | | Operators can control the camera's pan, tilt and zoom |
| Rosie to clean the house. Somehow they had this local | | | | functions remotely, and for archival purposes a |
| exchange of information. So what we've been | | | | continuous or time-lapse video can be recorded to a |
| working on is how we can use the local environment | | | | hard drive aboard the robotic vehicle as well as at the |
| rather than a computer as a tasking medium to the | | | | control station. Independently saved copies will ensure |
| robot." | | | | that damage done to the Cyberguard, whether |
| The Packbot from iRobot Corporation is a far cry | | | | intentional or accidental, will not destroy any evidence |
| from Rosie the Robot Maid, in onboard intelligence and | | | | collected to that point. |
| dexterity, but is already seeing duty in both | | | | Security robots featuring real-time, color video and |
| Afghanistan and Iraq, delivering materiel and | | | | other Jetson-era capabilities are not "the wave of the |
| transporting gear in hazardous terrain. As the | | | | future," but are here and available now. Various types |
| technology continues to progress, more robots are | | | | of these robots, while still innovative new tools for |
| being deployed earlier in situations considered, at least | | | | large area security and other specialized military and |
| initially, too dangerous for humans. "When I stood there | | | | law-enforcement operations, are not considered a "fix |
| and looked at [a battle-damaged Packbot], I realized | | | | all" item or "magic bullet," by any means. |
| that if that robot hadn't been there, it would have been | | | | Ready for prime time? ActivMedia's marketing |
| some kid," Few says. Civilian applications Police | | | | materials position their growing family of "bots" as |
| departments are quick to press into service any | | | | components of a "robust security solution," allowing |
| military technology that they can get their hands on. In | | | | businesses and, increasingly, homeowners to improve |
| fact, the "militarization" of American law enforcement, | | | | the odds of dealing successfully with any "unexpected |
| which has been gaining steam for at least several | | | | hazard." With the price of a standard PatrolBot falling |
| decades, has not been an unqualified success in | | | | from $40,000 to a bit over half that since 2002, more |
| everyone's eyes. | | | | and more small businesses and large homesteads can |
| In the summer of 2007, Radley Balko, a senior editor | | | | consider budgeting for such devices. |
| for Reason magazine, testified before the House | | | | Adding mobile video surveillance will not guarantee an |
| Subcommittee on Crime. "Since the late 1980s," he told | | | | improvement to every security system, but in the right |
| the assemblage, "thanks to acts passed by the U.S. | | | | places, these robots can make all the difference. |
| Congress, millions of pieces of surplus military | | | | There is a serious cost-benefit analysis to perform |
| equipment have been given to local police departments | | | | before writing out a check for one of these units, and |
| across the country. We're not talking just about | | | | there are ongoing costs of operation, certainly, from |
| computers and office equipment. Military-grade | | | | various parts that will wear out (wheels, gears, levers, |
| semi-automatic weapons, armored personnel vehicles, | | | | etc.), batteries that need to be charged, control |
| tanks, helicopters, airplanes, and all manner of other | | | | equipment that will need redundancy and so forth. |
| equipment designed for use on the battlefield is now | | | | The next frontier For savvy businesspeople, especially |
| being used on American streets, against American | | | | those with large physical plants and extensive |
| citizens." | | | | perimeters, mobile surveillance cameras with some |
| Bomb-squad robots, with technology field-tested in the | | | | onboard brains might be a smart investment. Others |
| world's numerous military hotspots, have already made | | | | who are less savvy, but are dyed-in-the-wool |
| their way into many large urban police forces. As the | | | | technophiles, may talk themselves into a PackBot or |
| technology progresses, Packbots and other | | | | Cyberguard purchase just because they are early |
| special-purpose military robots will also join the local | | | | adopters - or want to see if they can control the robot |
| ranks of American law enforcement. "Academic | | | | with an iPhone or some other gadget. |
| criminologists," Balko added, "credit these transfers with | | | | Now the military and its "preferred providers" are hard |
| the dramatic rise in paramilitary SWAT teams over | | | | at work at arming the robots for battle. It is not likely |
| the last quarter century." | | | | we will see much of this new technology trickling down |
| Private use proliferates One can see the increase in | | | | into business- and consumer-level products, at least |
| SWAT raids as a good thing or bad, depending on | | | | not soon. Project the trends out a few decades, |
| one's views on law enforcement, subsidiarity, civil rights | | | | though, and it's not hard to imagine Rosie trading in her |
| and other political hot-potato issues. However, much | | | | maid's apron for a badge and gun. Rosie the Robot |
| less controversial is the application of military-tested | | | | Cop? Watch out, George! |
| technologies, including robotics, to private ends, such as | | | | |