There are a lot of uses for robots today with law enforcement, security, and military personnel. The military, in particular, is making an ever-increasing use of robots for dangerous tasks such as clearing buildings where enemy soldiers may be hiding and searching for bombs. In the enterprise space, robots are being increasingly used to help a smaller number of humans patrol a larger area. A company called Gamma Two Robotics has announced a new robot called the Vigilus Mobile Camera System aimed at enterprise security.
The new robot is set to debut officially next month, and the bot is equipped with a web cam to let the security officer see what the robot sees. The autonomous robot works with a Command Console Interface allowing the movement of the robot to be viewed in real time. The command console can also interrupt autonomous activity of the robot and route the robot to a problem area.
The robot pictured in the company’s press release set to be unveiled next week looks different from the prototype robots on the website carrying the same product name. Specifications from the Gamma Two robotics website list the weight for the robot at 110 pounds. The specs also say that the robot has a maximum runtime of 15 hours per charge and a normal runtime of 10 hours per charge.
A full charge takes four hours, and the robot measures 48-inches H x 24-inches W. The robot is set to be available in Q3 of 2012 the company doesn’t offer specific pricing on the robot simply saying that it is priced at about the same as a typical security guards yearly salary. I don’t know how much a security guard makes, but I would assume we’re talking anywhere from the mid $20,000 range to the $30,000 range.
Vigilus security bot: The purple triangle of death (or scolding) is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Hanson Robotics must be pretty proud to have paraded their very first production unit that hails from their miniature humanoid robot range, calling it the Robokind. Sporting a rather semi-realistic head that comes complete with moving eyelids and lips, it is very different from the rest of the robots which form part of the commercially-available research platforms. In fact, prototypes of this particular robot are already being prepared for action under the segment of autism treatment therapy.
Now here is a robot that you might be interested in – the X-RHex Lite robot which will come with a tail of its own, and it has its roots based on the RHex, which is UPenn’s original hexapod robot, albeit this particular robot would have shed some weight, while coming in a far more modular form factor. The actuated tail also adds to its uniqueness, allowing the X-RHex Lite robot to right its own position while it is in mid-air when dropped at different angles, in addition to helping it maintain its balance and orientation as it makes its way off a ledge. Sounds like a cat who, most of the time, ends up landing on all of its legs, no?
