Security robots and surveillance drones are nothing new but their fusion definitely is! Otsaw Digital, a company based in Singapore, has come up with the world’s first ever ground-aerial outdoor security robot, O-R3, which combines a surveillance drone with an autonomous roving ground vehicle – allowing the resulting mobile system to launch drones for tracking location and following intruders!
Run by machine learning algorithms, the O-R3 can avoid hurdles and recognize objects such as unattended bags when its on the go. In addition to this, it also has features such as facial and license plate recognition which help identify unwanted people and vehicles. As for the drone, it is confined in the ground vehicle until it is launched from the platform located at the rear end of the vehicle. Once the drone is up in the air, it can track suspects that are as far as 100 meters – incredible range, no?
Credit: Otsaw Digital
Credit: Otsaw Digital
This isn’t it, the system can operate 24/7 therefore automatically eliminating the need of a human security personnel at the site. If an anomaly is detected, an alert is sent to the control center where human operators then take necessary measures. Another feature of the O-R3 is its ability to return to the charging station when its battery is low. While many might assume that this system is autonomous, the company has elucidated that it isn’t entirely unmanned as experienced operators are needed to both monitor and evaluate the alerts regulated by the O-R3. So, it can be concluded that the O-R3 can carry out mundane tasks with utmost efficiency while human guards can perform analytical tasks. Therefore, the humans and the machine go hand in hand.
Credit: Otsaw Digital
Credit: Otsaw Digital
For now, the company is aiming to launch the O-R3 at CommunicAsia 17 but wishes to launch a smaller, indoor version in the long-run.
h/t: New Atlas